Sochi (Russia): Belgium coach Roberto Martinez said Monday he is concerned as aggressive targeting of Eden Hazard by opposition defenders could lead to his side losing their captain and star player at the World Cup.
Belgium ran out 3-0 winners over tournament new boys Panama here Monday, but the game was also marked by some tough challenges, with five Panama players booked by Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe. Chelsea star Hazard set up Romelu Lukaku’s second goal of the game.
“It is a worry that in any of those tackles he (Hazard) could really get hurt,” said Martinez. “It doesn’t worry me if that is a way of trying to stop him. Everyone is allowed to prepare games in the way that you can. It is very much allowed and that is part of the rules, and you could run a risk of getting a player sent off.
The way Hazard is being challenged is a worry for me. He may get injured in one of these tackles and the World Cup will lose the chance to see a quality player like Hazard
Roberto Martinez
“My worry is that maybe in one of those tackles, we are going to lose the opportunity to enjoy the quality of a player like Eden Hazard. That is not just for him, it goes for any player who has got the natural ability of wanting to take players on. I hope we get lucky in that respect,” added the Belgian coach.
Hazard himself said that he had taken a ‘little kick’ in the first half but said it was nothing ‘serious’. “We will see the best of Eden Hazard maybe later,” was Hazard’s ominous warning.
Panama’s coach Hernan Dario Gomez however, played down suggestions that they might have been overly physical in their approach.
“We are a team who try to get forward. Sometimes we might appear brusque than others, but other sides get stuck in as well,” said the Colombian. “We don’t go out to injure anyone.