In an incredibly curious move, former Chelsea team doctor Eva Carneiro has opted for Eden Hazard to be one of her star witnesses in her trial against the club, with the outcome of her entire case seemingly reliant upon the midfielder’s statement.
Carneiro was taken off her post as the first team’s doctor after tending to an injury suffered by Hazard during the club’s draw against Swansea City in August, with manager Jose Mourinho condemning her actions as, in his view, it unnecessarily whittled his team down to nine men at a time when the squad could have been pushing for a win. After being removed from her position, with Mourinho banning her from attending any away games, Carneiro left the club after claiming her new role was “untenable”.
Following her leaving the club, the medical specialist hit Chelsea with a court case related to the incident, along with a separate claim directly related to Mourinho. The former case will see Hazard standing as a witness, informing the court of whether or not he did ask for medical assistance, as has been claimed by Carneiro. If this is the case, then Mourinho’s claims that Carneiro acted of her own volition will be proven to be untrue, and she could well win the case.
What’s particularly strange about Hazard’s role as witness in this case is that Michael Oliver, the referee who officiated the match, would seemingly be a preferable option for both parties. With Hazard still playing under Mourinho for Chelsea, it would suggest that his loyalties would lie with the hand that feeds him, whereas Michael Oliver would be able to provide an impartial statement whilst still giving the court the information that they want.
With Carneiro’s case resting upon whether or not Hazard requested that Oliver call Carneiro onto the pitch in order to treat him, the referee seemed like he would be called up to provide a statement for the medic, but it seems that Carneiro is looking to deal something of a killing blow by having one of Mourinho’s own players stand as a witness.
The hearing, which will be conducted in public, is set to take place if no out-of-court settlement is reached between Mourinho and Carneiro.
