Sports News of Monday, 17 September 2018

Source: goal.com

Hazard calls his shots - Baba Rahman reveals Belgian's pre-game prediction routine

Hazard bagged a hat-trick for Chelsea over the weekend Hazard bagged a hat-trick for Chelsea over the weekend

Baba Rahman has revealed that Eden Hazard is known around the club for predicting his performance in matches.

The 27-year-old Belgian has enjoyed a hot start to the season, scoring five goals and contributing two assists in the team's five Premier League matches under new coach Maurizio Sarri.

Blues defender Rahman, who is currently on loan at Bundesliga club Schalke, says Hazard's quality performances sometimes begin with a prophecy in the dressing room.

"Sometimes before a game [Hazard] told me what he had planned for that game and he always made it later," the Ghanaian told Goal.

"He is really a clown. He always makes fun when we are in the dressing room or at dinner. He's a funny guy who always makes people laugh around him.

"We don't have to talk much about Eden's qualities, he shows in every game that he is an amazing player."

Baba was signed from Augsburg in 2015 by then-manager Jose Mourinho and made 15 Premier League appearances in the 2015-16 campaign, before Cesar Azpilicueta and later Marcos Alonso became preferred options in his favoured left-back role.

The 24-year-old spent last season at Schalke also, and believes Chelsea's system of loaning out players is helping him become a stronger footballer.

"As one of the best clubs in the world Chelsea gives many players the chance to fulfill their dreams and become a better football player with that system," Baba said.

"Me for example I'm able to play at Schalke in front of 60,000 people regularly now, which helps me a lot in my development as a player."

Baba has started two of Schalke's three Bundesliga games this season and says he is focused on the club that has given him an opportunity to play first-team football.

But the Ghana international refused to rule out playing for Chelsea again in the future.

"You can never say where football will guide you to. Maybe I stay for the next 10 years at Schalke but I also can imagine playing for Chelsea again," he said.

"But at the moment I don't think about these things, I'm really happy at Schalke."