Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has claimed that star man Eden Hazard has asked a shin pad maker to come up with a bigger product.
Hazard, fouled a massive nine times in the 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, is now the most fouled player in Europe - getting hacked down an incredible 102 times this season.
The 24-year-old leads both the Premier League and Champions League in fouls suffered, with 74 in 25 matches on the home front and 28 in seven matches in Europe's premier competition. Raheem Sterling, second in the Premier League, has only been fouled 60 times this season.
"Eden has asked me to speak with some friends of mine who make carbon shin-pads. He wants one that covers the whole leg. Like a horse," said Mourinho.
"Normally, if you get 100 fouls, the opponents will get a certain percentage of yellow cards.
"So if he is the most fouled player he should be the player creates more cards in the opponent. But he isn’t."
Mourinho believes Hazard, who has 13 goals and seven assists this season, is being targeted by the opposition.
"There are fouls and there are accumulations of fouls and there are fouls that are strategy and the referees have to understand exactly that," he added. "Sometimes little fouls are big fouls in the context of the game.
"For example, and there are many of them in the world of football, there are players who are a specialist in stopping counter attacks.
"The team loses the ball, he makes the foul. It is a small foul but it stops the counter attack. And I think Eden is punished in both ways. If you see the game in Paris he had nine fouls. But three of them were very bad fouls. Very dangerous fouls. And nothing."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments