Puel praises former pupil Hazard after Chelsea defeat

Southampton manager Claude Puel felt Eden
Hazard and Diego Costa proved the difference as
Premier League leaders Chelsea ran out 4-2
winners at Stamford Bridge.
Hazard fired in his 15th league goal of the season
after five minutes but ex-Chelsea midfielder Oriol
Romeu levelled and Southampton were in the
ascendancy before Gary Cahill headed home in
first-half stoppage time.
Costa then came to the fore after the interval with
a brace – his second a wonderfully worked goal
featuring one-twos with Hazard and Pedro.
Ryan Bertrand nodded in a late Saints consolation
and Puel was largely impressed with his players,
but was left to rue two world-class talents.
"It was a better performance than against
Manchester City [a 3-0 defeat in Southampton's
previous match]," he told a post-match news
conference.
"It's a shame in the end because we had a good
game with quality, against a great, good opponent.
"But we conceded the goals in bad moments, after
five minutes, just before half-time, just after half-
time. It's a shame, it's a shame.
"We played against great players. Eden Hazard and
Diego Costa played well and they were the
difference."
. @hazardeden10 1-0 #CHESOU
pic.twitter.com/gSTE7ttI7Z
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 25,
2017
Puel brought Hazard into the first-team picture as
a prodigious 16-year-old at Lille and he reflected
upon being on the receiving end of the mercurial
Belgian's qualities.
"I'm very angry with him, of course," he joked after
watching Chelsea go seven points clear of
Tottenham at the top of the league.
"But he's a fantastic player. I'm happy for him. It
was the same at the beginning, with the same
qualities, the same ability to give assists and make
penetration, with maturity and quality.
"He's having a fantastic career. Good for him."