Hazard gets the message

The defeat at home for Chelsea (2-0) that meant the elimination of Real Madrid in the Champions League has left a delayed and prolonged effect on Eden Hazard, who since then has not known what it is to be a starter. The Belgian came to that match with the fundamental player band, forced to a convincing performance with which to straighten out his passage through Madrid, which in two years oscillates between simple failure and very poor.

Not only did he not meet that prognosis (His meeting was very poor, he barely appeared and when he did, it was painless for his former team), but after the duel the cameras caught him in full laughter with Zouma and Mendy, the first of whom was his partner during Hazard's time at Chelsea. Laughter understandable from a personal point of view, but impossible to assimilate in sports after Madrid was eliminated from the Champions League, the competition that best defines the white club. So much so that the next day Hazard was forced to apologize on his social networks and, since then, Zidane has taken his registration.

There are two league games after the London debacle, against Seville and Granada. And in both cases, Hazard was a substitute and came off the bench in the second half. If Zidane wanted Hazard to get the message, surely the Belgian has already realized and in fact he has known how to take advantage of his slight appearances to influence the score of Madrid's matches. Between both duels he has added 39 minutes in which Hazard scored a goal and assisted in another.

Against Sevilla, he barely had eleven minutes in which he appeared little, but at last fortune sprouted, which has been so elusive in his time at Real Madrid, especially in regard to injuries (he, arriving overweight to the two preseason, has not helped in that regard either). The Belgian deflected a shot from Kroos in minute 94 to mark the final 2-2 against Sevilla that kept Madrid in the fight for the League. Without that point, the white team would now need a defeat for Atleti to be champion; In the current circumstances, a rojiblanco draw would suffice, as long as they beat Athletic and Villarreal in the two remaining games.

Hazard's future, in the air

After the substitution at home against Sevilla, the forecast was that Hazard would enter the eleven against Granada at Nuevo Los Cármenes. But again Zidane left him on the bench, conveying a clear message: London has had consequences and Hazard will have to earn a new opportunity from here at the end of the course. With the club already maneuvering around its future (it is hoped that it will make a good Eurocup that will revalue it; it is not ruled out that it comes out if a good offer arrives for all parties), the Belgian can restore his image to the Madrid fans to a large extent if he contributes to Madrid joining this League.

And so it was in Granada, where his 28 minutes were not brilliant (20 good passes of 22, a recovery, three of five duels won, five losses …), but gave him to deliver an assistance of great importance: With Granada playing a fight after making the 1-2, the Belgian turned a bad control into a good assist for Odriozola to make it 1-3 and sentenced the duel; shortly after, Benzema would make the final 1-4 and seal the three points.

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With the goal scored against Sevilla and the assistance against Granada, Hazard already has four goals and a goal delivered this season, which combined with last season brings the tally to five targets and eight assists. Very little for a signing of 100 million fixed euros (more variable), but at least Hazard shows in the field that he decodes the signals that Zidane sends him: Madrid need their most decisive version to fight for a new league title.