Ahead of the season, Eden Hazard announced a little cockily that he’s back in top form and has big plans for Real Madrid. For the Belgian offensive player, the first half of the season was just as unsatisfactory as his whole time with the royal team. Leaving the club and aiming for a new start somewhere else is out of the question now.
The two youngsters Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo have long since taken command of the flank at Real Madrid. While Marco Asensio can still convince sporadically, Eden Hazard is practically invisible. The 31-year-old made three appearances in the league, but did not score a point. Things went a little better in the Champions League, where the veteran also made three appearances and was involved in two goals against Celtic Glasgow. All in all, Hazard has 229 minutes on the field, making him lucky to have been included in Roberto Martinez’s World Cup squad. The 115-million-euro flop is now hoping for a lot from the tournament in Qatar. “I don’t want to leave Real Madrid. Maybe my situation will change after the World Cup,” Fabrizio Romano quoted the former Chelsea star as saying.
However, the 122-time Belgium international was not satisfied with his situation at Blancos either. “I want to play, but the manager makes the decisions. I accept that, but I want to show that I deserve more playing time. If you don’t play, it’s difficult,” said Eden Hazard. The offensive player’s well-paid contract runs until the summer of 2024. But he shouldn’t have a real chance of making the leap back into the limelight at Real. The stage belongs to Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo. In addition, another offensive expert should be committed. Hazard would do better to use the World Cup to recommend himself to another top club. It should be his last chance to prove his skills again at the highest level and to convince other clubs. With the Madrilenians this opportunity is probably no longer available. However, it doesn’t look like Hazard has read the signs of the times – or doesn’t want to read them.
This article was originally published on 90min.com as Eden Hazard on his future plans: World Cup stage as a glimmer of hope.
