Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard has admitted that he did not celebrate Chelsea's UEFA Champions League final triumph over Manchester City on Saturday evening in Porto.
After getting the better of Madrid at the semi-final stage, the Blues, who will discover their fixture list for the 2021/22 Premier League season later this month, went all the way to lift the trophy for the second time in their history with a 1-0 win at the Estadio do Dragao.
Club-record signing Kai Havertz netted the only goal of the game shortly before the half time interval when he latched onto Mason Mount's expertly-weighted through ball, knocked the ball beyond Ederson in the City goal and then into the back of an empty net.
That proved to be enough for the Blues to get the job done, meaning head coach Thomas Tuchel, who has only been in the job since the end of January, got the better of Pep Guardiola and City for a third time in the space of just six weeks.
With the campaign having now reached its conclusion, attention now switches to transfer activity, with Tuchel keen to add three new faces to his squad in an attempt to bolster his armoury ahead of the 2021/22 season getting started.
One of the names to have been closely linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in recent weeks is Hazard, with reports in Spain having claimed that the Belgium winger wants to leave the club and seal a return to Chelsea.
Hazard still has a strong affiliation with the club, something that was evident when he returned to his former stomping ground last month for the semi-final showdown between the two clubs. At the end of the game, which finished 2-0 in the Blues' favour, Hazard was spotted laughing and joking with Edouard Mendy and Kurt Zouma.
It was hardly the impression you would want to give to your supporters and team-mates after losing a Champions League semi-final.
After coming under intense pressure for what happened, many probably expected Hazard to jubilantly celebrate Chelsea's win on Saturday evening, but he insists that was not the case, although he conceded that he was happy for a "couple of friends" within the squad.
When asked if he celebrated Chelsea's win over City, Hazard said: "Of course not, I’m a Real Madrid player so I am not happy.
"I am just happy for a couple of friends in the team, but I hope next season it’s for Real Madrid."
Hazard, ahead of the European Championship getting under way next week, has also been asked about his future holds, given that recent reports have claimed that he wants to leave the La Liga heavyweights.
However, the Belgian has played down those claims, insisting he is happy at the Bernabeu and focused on next season.
"I don't see myself leaving Real Madrid right away," he added. "My first two years weren't great due to injuries. When I'm fit, I can do great things for the clubs.
"Now I want to think about the European Championship first. Then I will give everything for Real."
Hazard, of course, will be playing under a different manager next season following Carlo Ancelotti's appointment yesterday.
