Zidane comes out in defense of a Belgian who still does not appear with the Real Madrid shirt; Real Madrid has spent a life waiting for the Chelsea star.
Real Madrid played again and Hazard went missing again. Nothing new under the sun: the ‘7’, as if it had not been. The Belgian started the night in Malaga against Athletic, for the semifinals of the Spanish Super Cup, and had another game to be forgotten with the capital, being Zidane’s first non-forced change over 67 ‘(Varane left touched after the break). A situation that is repeated and that is no longer surprising. What did attract attention was that the French coach ask for “patience” with the 30 year old player. Plus? Real Madrid has been waiting for him for a lifetime.
Zidane: “You have to be patient with Eden”
“What Eden needs is to regain confidence, score a goal, play a good game, do something different. We know the player he is, you have to be patient and that’s it. He’s working, “Zidane said at a press conference the first time they asked him about the Belgian international. But there was a second question about the former Lille player, and Zidane answered again asking for patience. “People want to see the best version of Eden, you have to be patient. We are with him, he wants to move this forward. It’s not just Eden, we’re all here. We started regular and it cost us the first part. In the second half he did well but it wasn’t enough, “said the French coach after a game in which Hazard left the field with only one dribble, more fouls committed (2) than suffered (1) and more duels lost (5) than won (1), also losing 6 balls.
The crack that was not
On June 7, 2019, Real Madrid announced their star signing for the new campaign. The white club closed the incorporation of Hazard by 100 million euros from Chelsea, signing a contract until 2024. The Bernabéu was filled with excitement when they saw that one of the great talents of world football. It was not be for lowerly. Not for the price, which Hazard is not to blame. The point is that he came from winning the Europa League, from shining in one of the best teams in the Premier, and a year ago he had led his team to the semifinals of the World Cup. In post-Christian Madrid he couldn’t do anything other than get out.
But things would not start well for Hazard in the Spanish capital. An injury postponed his debut with the Whites’ jersey until September 14, when he was finally able to play half an hour against him. Levante. “I hope it is the beginning of something very nice”, said after the triumph 3-2 (he entered with 3-1 in the light). A year and a half after arriving at LaLiga, his wish stayed at that and his time at Real Madrid, marked by injuries and low performances, it’s being anything but pretty.
There are players who make up numbers with sensations, and players who hide sensations with numbers. The latter happened to Griezmann when he arrived at Barcelona, for example. But to Hazard there is no statistic that saves you, nor feeling that accompanies you in a Real Madrid that is still waiting for the crack who signed for 100 million, but who barely scored 3 goals and gave 4 assists in 32 games. It will be a matter of patience.
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