EDEN HAZARD EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea’s No.10 on Champions League ambitions and setting Ballon d’Or targets

When Chelsea conquered Europe for the first time in their history with an epic UEFA Champions League final win in May 2012, Eden Hazard was sitting, watching his television in a hotel room in France.

Live UEFA Champions League

The playmaker would join the new kings of the continent just 16 days later but, as the then-Lille star viewed the drama of Chelsea's win over Bayern Munich, he might not have known he was definitely moving to Stamford Bridge.

One thing which is for sure, though, is that as Didier Drogba and Petr Cech were the penalty shootout heroes, Hazard’s ambition to make his eventual £32million transfer to England was heightened.

Two seasons on, and since joining Chelsea, the now-23-year-old has not been able to replicate that European Cup success, as the defending champions suffered a shock group stage exit in 2012/13 before losing in last season’s semi-finals.

At the same time, and all the more upsetting for Hazard - who made his Champions League debut for Lille against CSKA Moscow in 2011, he was absent through injury as Chelsea beat Benfica in the final of the Europa League in 2013.

It has therefore not been the happiest experience for the Belgian in European blue but that has only served to make him all the more determined to succeed at a time when he is, according to Jose Mourinho, in talks over a new contract.

This season’s Champions League campaign gets under way for Chelsea against Schalke in London on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports 1HD from 7.30pm, and we have chatted exclusively with the No.10.

Speaking as he was being unveiled as the new pack star of FIFA 15, Hazard discussed Champions League ambitions, setting Ballon d’Or targets and much more.

HOW DO YOU THINK YOU ARE A DIFFERENT PLAYER NOW TO THE ONE WHO MADE HIS DEBUT IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOR LILLE?

“I have had maybe 20 games in the Champions League now. I have experience. You continue the game and you try to be the best.
 
“The Champions League is a really good competition. Everybody sees the Champions League and you have to be good.”

WHEN YOU MADE THAT CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DEBUT, YOU WERE IN THE SAME LILLE TEAM AS JOE COLE AND MATHIEU DEBUCHY. DID YOU SPEAK TO JOE ABOUT CHELSEA? DO YOU STILL SPEAK TO HIM IN ENGLAND?

“Yes. He said to me before, when we were at Lille, ‘You have to be at Chelsea, because it is the right club for you’. I said, ‘Okay, Joe, okay, I will go!’ (laughing).

"Yes [I still speak to Joe now] and did when we played against him with West Ham last season.

If I want to win the Ballon d’Or, I need to win everything

WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE TO PLAY AGAINST MATHIEU IN LONDON DERBIES VERSUS ARSENAL?

“It is very exciting, because Debuchy is my friend. We won everything in Lille together.

“Last season was my first game against him when he was at Newcastle. It is always good to play against your friend.”