Eden Hazard believes Chelsea’s champions can “play with their eyes closed” under Antonio Conte.

The superstar Belgian insisted he improved after a week of working with Conte - after two years managed by Jose Mourinho.

Hazard now believes the understanding between the current squad is now so strong that it is almost telepathic.

After a troubled pre-season, the Blues have won four of their last five games, drawing on Sunday with Arsenal.

Hazard insists he has been improving since Conte took over at Stamford Bridge (
Image:
REX/Shutterstock)
Hazard is close to being back to his best with Chelsea following injury (
Image:
Action Images via Reuters)

Hazard said: “There’s a lot of tactics. It’s not always nice as a forward as you have to run, defend and everything, but at least at the weekend, you know exactly what to do, you can even close your eyes and play. That’s good.

“We work a lot. It’s not always easy in training, there are a lot of hours of training, but it bears fruit on the pitch. We play well, we won last year. You can see that that’s the key to success: work.”

Hazard has lifted two titles, the League Cup and the Europe League with Chelsea. He came off the bench against Arsenal on Sunday as he continues his gradual return from an ankle injury.

Mourinho managed Hazard at Chelsea for two years before Conte took over (
Image:
PA)
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Asked whether he’d benefited from Conte’s sessions to improve the players’ tactical understanding, he said: “You have to. Even after a week I think I had progressed with him.

“But I think he’s shown not just at Chelsea but also at Juve that he’s a good coach and I think he has some good years ahead of him.”

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