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Ahead of the visit of Chelsea to the American Express Community Stadium on Sunday, Leon Balogun believes he has masterminded a method to prevent Belgium World Cup star Eden Hazard from finding the net.
The Nigeria international defender is no stranger to facing world class strikers as he came up against the likes of Gonzalo Higuaín, Ivan Perisic, Mario Mandzukic and Robert Lewandowski in international matches in 2018 and none of them managed to score.
Balogun's defensive skills were put to test in Russia when Nigeria met an Argentina team containing unarguably the best player on the planet, Lionel Messi.
Comparing the two players, Hazard and Messi, Balogun told Brighton's official website: ''They’re slightly different players, but are both outstanding. If you want to stop players like that, then you need a strong collective effort from the team.
''If you’re facing either of them one on one, you have to be patient and don’t fall for every one of their movements.
''You have to be sharp, but players of that quality can react to anything you do. You have to stay tight and don’t give them the licence to play their game.
''Mainly it’s about defending against them collectively, and delay them making the pass or taking the shot they want.''
''You have to be sharp, but players of that quality can react to anything you do. You have to stay tight and don’t give them the licence to play their game.
''Mainly it’s about defending against them collectively, and delay them making the pass or taking the shot they want.''
Having missed ten games on the bounce, Balogun has been involved in the last three matches contested by the Seagulls in the Premier League.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
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