24th April, 2016
Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard says he and his team-mates do not want Tottenham to win the Premier League.
Spurs are eight points behind leaders Leicester with four games left.
Defending champions Chelsea host their London rivals at Stamford Bridge on 2 May and Leicester on 15 May, the final day of the season.
“The fans, the club, the players, we don’t want Tottenham to win the Premier League,” Hazard, 25, told BBC’s Match of the Day programme.
“We hope for Leicester because they deserve to be champions this season.
“We have a good game next week against Tottenham and if we can beat them it will be good.”
Hazard, the 2015 Player of the Year, scored twice in Chelsea’s 4-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday, his first league goals of the season.
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who played for Tottenham’s north London rivals Arsenal from 2003 to 2011, also wants Leicester to win the league and expects them to secure the title before the game against the Blues.
“I believe they’ll have it wrapped up by then,” the Spain international told Sky Sports.
“Spurs are pushing hard to get as close to them as possible but I think Leicester will win it and deservedly.
“I don’t want Spurs to win it and, for what they’ve done through the season, I would love Leicester to win the Premier League.”
Match of the Day analyst Martin Keown said Hazard’s words will give the Spurs players extra motivation ahead of the meeting with Chelsea.
“The Tottenham players are probably listening to that right now and it’s goading them,” said the former Arsenal and England defender.
Match of the Day 2 Extra pundit Shola Ameobi, who spent most of his career in the Premier League with Newcastle, added: “It’s been a tough year for Hazard, so for him to come out with a comment like that is unbelievable really. Surely he should be focussing on what he can do for Chelsea.”
Speaking on the same programme, former Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas defended Hazard: “What do you expect Hazard to say? He’s not going to say he wants Spurs to win now is he? It’s what everyone knows; there is that obvious rivalry between Chelsea and Spurs.
“But if Spurs keep doing what they’re doing now I don’t give Chelsea much of a chance in that game anyway.”