The selector of Belgium, Roberto Martinez, said this Monday that it is irrelevant that the Belgian captain, Eden Hazard, enjoyed just 10 minutes in Sunday's friendly match against Croatia, since the important thing was that he was on the field to overcome that “psychological stage”.
“The goal for Eden is that he was in the field. It was almost a psychological stage (…). The minutes did not matter, “said the Spanish coach at a press conference.
Hazard, who has dragged two seasons plagued with injuries at Real Madrid and had not played for Belgium since November 2019, entered yesterday in the 82nd minute with 1-0 on the scoreboard.
“Now he will have to have more minutes. The next step will be in training,” he added. Martinez, who said he was “very satisfied” with the adaptation to the game of the attacker, 30, and insisted that the important thing in the match was “to take that step without risk, in a safe way.”
The selector of Belgium, third in the Russia World Cup 2018, he did not want to venture when he will be able Hazard play 90 minutes, and ensured that with the 5 changes allowed in the Eurocupenough to replace almost half the team, the important thing is that the players are at their optimum level for the time they are on the pitch.
“It is difficult to say when he will be ready, I think it depends on many things. What matters is that he is medically well now,” continued Martinez, who insisted that it is not a matter “of minutes, but of quality.
“See to Eden Hazard with a smile on his face and making a difference “is what the coach wants, he pointed out five days before Belgium's debut against Russia on St. Petersburg this Saturday, to be measured later against Denmark Y Finland.