Eden Hazard: Playing Under Antonio Conte Was Physically Brutal

Eden Hazard has described his time working under Antonio Conte at Chelsea as one of the most physically demanding spells of his career.

Conte, who managed Chelsea for two seasons, guided the club to a Premier League title and an FA Cup win. But according to Hazard, the Italian’s rigid and repetitive training sessions often pushed players to their limits.

Speaking to YouTube channel Zack, the Belgian star recalled:

“When Antonio Conte arrived at Chelsea, it was tough. In the first training sessions, physically, we suffered a lot. In the summer we went to Los Angeles it was hot, and we trained morning and afternoon.

At the beginning of the season, we lost a match against Arsenal. Then everything changed. We switched to five at the back, and (N’Golo) Kanté became devastating in midfield.

The training sessions were exhausting, but we reached the best condition for matches that’s why we won the championship.”

Hazard’s remarks underline the intense preparation behind Chelsea’s 2016–17 title-winning campaign a regime that brought silverware but demanded every ounce of the players’ endurance.