Although Madrid successfully grabbed control of La Liga from Barcelona last season, it was a personal disappointment for Hazard after his initial €100 million move from Chelsea.
Hazard continues struggling in Madrid
Zinedine Zidane has no idea when Eden Hazard will be fit for Real Madrid as the Belgian star continues to struggle in the Spanish capital. Although Madrid successfully grabbed control of La Liga from Barcelona last season, it was a personal disappointment for Hazard after his initial €100 million move from Chelsea. He coped with a single goal and struggled to recover from surgery on a broken right leg. Hazard signed his season with a lackluster show in Madrid’s Champions League last-16 loss to Manchester City. The 29-year-old went on international duty during a recent break for the Nations League matches with Denmark and Iceland but did not perform a single minute. With reports from Madrid, he suggested that he returned to pre-season with overweight.
Martin Odegaard is ready to play the role at Real Madrid
Ahead of his team’s title defense at Real Sociedad on Sunday, Zidane confirmed that Hazard would not play in San Sebastian. “I can’t tell you when he can come back, just that he’s better,” he said. “What matters is how the player feels. We have time to work for the season. The only thing Hazard has to do is be on 100 percent, and we will work”. One creative talent ready to play the role is Martin Odegaard. He returned to the Madrid ranks after a loan experience at Real Sociedad last season. To the extent that Los Blancos preferred to remember the 21-year-old Norway international instead of letting him run another campaign at Anoeta. “He’s our fellow, and he can contribute to the squad,” said Zidane of Odegaard. He also played on loan at Heerenveen and Vitesse after moving to Madrid 16-year-old in January 2015.
“The players who come to Real Madrid are the best. We have another player, and he is a player who can be very important in this squad. The players must be ready, and I think Martin, like the others, is ready. Odegaard has changed because his trajectory has been phenomenal, and he is improving every year. Now he is a more complete player.”