• Champions League

Hazard asks Mourinho for custom shin pads

Eden Hazard has asked Jose Mourinho to help him develop special shin pads that will protect him from football's hatchet men.

Mourinho has repeatedly spoken out about the number of fouls committed against Hazard, and at the turn of the year suggested the forward could leave the Premier League if he continues to be targeted.

The Chelsea boss complained Hazard was fouled nine times during the 1-1 Champions League draw at Paris Saint-Germain this week, but feels opponents are not being punished because the Belgian is not the type of player who "dives, stays on the floor, rolls in the grass, screams".

Jose Mourinho has urged officials to offer more protection to Eden Hazard © Getty Images

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"Eden told me to speak with my friends who make the carbon shin pads," Mourinho said ahead of today's match against Burnley.

"I am not joking. He told me to speak with them because I am friends with the guy, to try to make it also for the back [of his calves]. Like a horse, when the horses do the jumping - in front and behind. Because now he gets [kicked] behind.

"I know [Hazard is the most fouled player], but he is not the player that as a consequence of that creates more cards for the opponent.

"Normally, you get 100 fouls and the opponents will get a certain percentage of yellow cards, so if he is the most fouled player, he should be the player that creates more cards for the opponent but he isn't.

"I know who is, but I don't say names because maybe the ones are the ones that want that and Eden doesn't want that. He wants to play. He doesn't want people to get cards and people to get a red card.

"I'm proud of him for being honest on the pitch and I leave it with the authorities to do something about the rest."

Mourinho says officials should do more to recognise "tactical fouls" - in which the intent is to stop the opponents' attack - but believes Hazard is also a victim of more dangerous challenges.

"Referees have to understand that sometimes little fouls are big fouls in the context of the game," he said. "A player that is 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."

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