Eden Hazard and Willian ‘suffered’ under the management of Maurizio Sarri last season according to the Italian’s then assistant Gianfranco Zola.
Sarri’s reign at Stamford Bridge started well but faded with Zola saying players got bored of Sarri’s training methods.
The 61-year-old would deliver the club the Europa League after a 4-1 victory over Arsenal as well as Champions League football for the current season with a third place finish, but left the club at the end of the season.
Zola told beIN Sports: ‘There were talented players, like Hazard and Willian, players who know how to win games on their own, but they were suffering from the type of exercises and type of training we were doing – but it was necessary for the others.