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Antonio Conte: Chelsea boss says Eden Hazard was targeted by Man Utd

By Phil McNultyChief football writer at Stamford Bridge

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments202

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte accused Manchester United of targeting Eden Hazard during his side's 1-0 FA Cup quarter-final win at Stamford Bridge.

Ander Herrera was sent off for two fouls on Hazard, while Marcos Rojo later appeared to stamp on the Belgian.

N'Golo Kante's 51st-minute winner secured Chelsea a semi-final meeting with Tottenham at Wembley in April.

"In 20, 25 minutes for Hazard, it was impossible for him to play football," said Conte.

"I see only that he got a lot of kicks. I don't think that I'm crazy and I see only him in this situation.

"He started receiving kicks and finished receiving kicks. No one person can say this did not happen."

Conte was involved in a touchline confrontation with opposite number Jose Mourinho shortly after Herrera's dismissal which ended with the pair being separated by fourth official Mike Jones.

The Italian said he had not seen the incident in which Rojo appeared to tread on a falling Hazard late in the game.

The Argentina defender must wait to see if the Football Association takes action after referee Michael Oliver files his report on the match.

Conte said: "This tactic, to play by going to kick the opponent, does not exist. It's not football for me. I don't think this can be a tactic.

"I think sometimes when you play against players with great talent you try and intimidate these players. I think the referee must protect this type of player."

Conte said Hazard had shown "great character" in a "very difficult and dangerous" situation.

The Italian added: "We go to play football and my players want to play football."

Monday's victory kept Chelsea, who are 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League, on course for a domestic Double.

I don't speak about referee - Mourinho

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202 comments

  • Comment posted by BlueIsTheColour, at 07:43 14 Mar 2017

    Ban Rojo, sickening stamp. It's not football.

  • Comment posted by Alnik, at 07:37 14 Mar 2017

    Conte is right in my opinion. Utd seemed determined to kick Hazard out of the game from the start. The sending off was good refereeing.

  • Comment posted by BBC Censure, at 07:52 14 Mar 2017

    FA should be looking at that Rojo stamp.

  • Comment posted by Wilson 23, at 07:40 14 Mar 2017

    If Phil Jones is classed as a footballer and is on £100000 a week, I fancy my chances of getting £20000 a week. He is more suited to Rugby.

    Also, if the FA are consistent, then Rojo get's a ban. Some of the diving and acting on show from both teams yesterday was farcical.

  • Comment posted by Hooray, at 08:17 14 Mar 2017

    Only one team tried to play football. United seemed to have clear instructions to take it in turns to wipe out Hazard. I don't support either team.

  • Comment posted by User0879204715, at 07:54 14 Mar 2017

    Elbows into faces, spitting at other players, sly kicks & shirt pulls and swearing at officials are par for the course for united players and it's about time the refs started growing nuts and issuing red cards & retrospective bans.

  • Comment posted by Rovlad, at 08:21 14 Mar 2017

    Of course he was. That's the main tool "the master tactician" JM got. In his RM's days he used to put Pepe in the midfield so he would kick the crap out of Messi. Same congenial move here. Players like Hazard shall be protected - they the ones that make football games worth watching and paying money for.

  • Comment posted by yousaidthatandnowisaidthis, at 10:01 14 Mar 2017

    Pogba looked like he was worth £90 mill last night. Looked so awesome, beating all those defenders Messi style, creating chances and plays...and that's when i switched off my X-box and started to watch the real game.

  • Comment posted by KINKLADZE MCFC, at 07:47 14 Mar 2017

    Man Utd players were targeting all Chelsea players they are a disgrace, the best team tried to play football and won , Utd are garbage as witnessed on TV a disgrace to the British game .

  • Comment posted by Jaunty44, at 08:03 14 Mar 2017

    Cheap shot by Rojo, he may yet regret it.

  • Comment posted by Plain Speaking, at 09:21 14 Mar 2017

    Taking turns to foul the most skilful players is a tactic employed by many less skilful teams. Hazard is an exceptional talent. I am sure if the likes of Messi ever joined the PL, he would get the same treatment from many teams.

  • Comment posted by patpit, at 08:04 14 Mar 2017

    Pathetic tactics employed by ManU last night. I just can't understand their fans condoning this type of behaviour by their players. Considering the way his ManU teams played football, Sir Alex must have felt sick & embarressed.

  • Comment posted by jaysizzle, at 09:46 14 Mar 2017

    @44 I don't necessarily agree with what you're saying but at least you didn't say salford utd!

    Football is becoming a real turn off with players trying to con the referee or falling too easily. And you can't deny that every team is doing it. It stems from a general lack of respect from the top to bottom. Managers and players appealing every decision, trying to get opposition booked. Sad really.

  • Comment posted by Pedrocity5, at 09:22 14 Mar 2017

    Trafford Utd have spent over £600 million on a squad full of cloggers, elbowers, spitters, moaners, divers and cheaters.

  • Comment posted by 20timesmanutd, at 12:41 14 Mar 2017

    @113 Pretty much EVERY team has had a player guilty of diving this is not just an Mufc or CFC thing
    Sadly it's something that has crept into our game & grown since the early 90s remember Klinsmann?
    I despise diving & when it's one of our own players doing it I find it embarrassing tbh
    Going down like they've been shot after the slightest of touches needs to be stamped out of the game imo

  • Comment posted by alcollins67, at 08:49 14 Mar 2017

    Tyrone mings gets a five match ban for stamping I do hope the fa treat the rojo stamping with the same swift punishment

  • Comment posted by Ladysmith, at 11:41 14 Mar 2017

    Well Hazard may go down easily or not, and a lot of players are guilty of that, but you REALLY don't go in for no good reason seconds after the ref had made it crystal clear to Smalling and Jones and all TV viewers that he wasn't having any more of it. It was soft, yes, but if the ref hadn't given a yellow then his credibility was shot - Utd were lucky not to get worse with the ensuing melee.

  • Comment posted by JimmyC, at 12:51 14 Mar 2017

    I thought they were supposed to be clamping down this season on players surrounding the referee? Looked as bad as ever last night with most of the United team surrounding the ref after the red card. Wish they'd sort this out once and for all ... one weekend of booking everyone who comes near the ref and the practice would stop.

  • Comment posted by Antony, at 11:06 14 Mar 2017

    I am sick and tired of footballers reacting like they've been shot every time they get touched. I can't watch Barcelona any more because of the continual diving and faking. It percolates through the game and social attitudes too (everything is someone else's fault) and needs to stop. Bring in video referees to analyse post-game and ban the divers. It would stop within a month.

  • Comment posted by Border Collie, at 11:01 14 Mar 2017

    You can see why rugby players look down their noses as professional footballers because of all their cheating and trying to get opponents in trouble with refs.

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