Hazard: “I want to show that I am made for Real Madrid”

The European Championship starts this Saturday for Eden Hazard. The 30-year-old Belgian begins the tournament far from his physical fullness. New muscular problems make him reach the game against Russia far from one hundred percent, as he himself indicated. Injuries have turned into a black cloud that has hovered over Hazard's sky for the last two seasons, since he signed for Real Madrid. Of those physical setbacks, of his stage in Madrid and the Euro, among other things, the white player spoke in an exclusive interview with the medium Het Nieuwsblad. Below we publish an excerpt of it.

Your status before starting the Euro: “I don't want to start from the beginning just to start. The good feeling in my legs will return and the injections I received in both hips are working, but I will not be 100 percent in that first game. Even if I go in later, don't expect it to make a difference. against Russia. I improve when I can play one, two, three games in a row. Then the feeling with the ball returns and the rhythm returns, but I don't want to force it either. If I have to be more patient, so be it. Fortunately, I am not the only one in Belgium that can decide a party “.

Competition in Belgium: “The ranking is clear, isn't it? When it comes to passing, Kevin De Bruyne is the best, no one can define better than Lukaku, Courtois is the best with his hands. Each one has his specialty and that is what makes us so good guys. Where am I? I'm holding on. I'm good at everything, but I'm not the best at anything. I'm a good mix “(laughs).

He says you don't want to force against Russia. Did you do that at Real Madrid? For example, he played in the Champions League against Mönchengladbach after two training sessions with the group: “With all those injuries that I forced once, yes. I had already gone out twice and I felt pain again during training. I thought to myself: this is no longer possible. If now I say that I have pain, I have to stop for another two weeks. So I kept quiet and continued. At Chelsea I often played football with discomfort. Stiffness, a kick I received … Once hot it was good and in seven years that I never suffered major injuries in England. Unfortunately, at the Madrid was the other way around. The next day, bam, more pain. “

Succession of injuries after Meunier's kick at Real Madrid-PSG in November 2019: “It's just hard to understand. I try my best not to get injured, I work hard in the gym, which is really boring, and then a new injury often follows. Bad luck. Hopefully that period is behind us, because I already have. past”.

He has a cheerful character, but he is seen with dull eyes: “I'm still the same. I still have fun, but I can't say I'm happy. It's only me when I can have fun on the pitch. That hasn't happened in the last two years at Madrid. If you have one or two injuries, you can. easily flip the switch. You rehab to get stronger. If it's five, six, seven injuries, it's much harder mentally. But I'm still. Not that I'm 36 and can say enough is enough. I also get a lot of support during those periods. The group of whatsapp with my parents and my brothers Thorgan, Kylian and Ethan does not stop. My wife and children are also there. Although my children find it especially bad because I can play less football with them in the garden. “

It is said that their injuries are due to stress: “Real Madrid is the biggest club of all and of course there is pressure. When you play football there, people expect you to be the best in the world. But why should I be stressed? It is the club of my dreams since that he was small. I looked at Zidane with admiration for Madrid … “

The challenge of succeeding Cristiano: “That's something else. I'm not Cristiano Ronaldo. He scores 60 to 70 goals in one year, I score 60 to 70 goals in seven or eight years. We are different. For example, I would never jump that high over a defender. to head a ball. Imagine. But I did not enter Madrid with the idea: here I have to be the new Ronaldo. I just have to be Eden Hazard. “

René Vandereycken (Belgian coach between 2006 and 2009) says they should give him the ball if he has two men behind him …: “It makes sense that they don't, because I still haven't shown anything at Madrid. If we play a game tomorrow and I haggle between three players, they will play with me more like this. Then confidence grows. That's how it was in Chelsea, that's how it is in the Red Devils. The European Championship can also help me show myself to Real Madrid. “

Are you 100% sure you will stay ?: “Yes, it did not even occur to me for a second that it would be better if I left. I am not going to leave a failure there. I just want to show that I am made for Real Madrid. The last two years have been difficult. I was in Madrid without being there. really in Madrid, you know? And if I played, it was difficult because of the covid. We played in a stadium without fans, while I had just signed up to play football in a full Bernabéu. I hope that the construction of our stadium will be finished soon and that the stands fill up again. I need that. “

Criticisms of the press and their relationship with fans: “It is part of Madrid, as is the attention of the fans. Fortunately I live in a closed neighborhood where you don't just drive. If the fans could knock on my door, it wouldn't be possible (laughs). But I don't mind signing autographs in other places. I try to live a normal life. “

Laughter with Mendy and Zouma after the elimination in the Champions League and the reaction of his teammates: “That was wrong, yes. What Mendy and Zouma said was not even funny. It is always good to see friends again. Although I understand that I have damaged the image of Real Madrid. Everyone thought that I did not lose sleep because of that elimination, but nothing It could be further from the truth. Deep down I was very disappointed. If there was a game I wanted to win it was against my ex-club, Chelsea, at Stamford Bridge. I was surprised when I saw those pictures. I got some phone calls, but honestly: it is A very nice group of players. That's also one of the reasons why I'm really looking forward to staying: the good atmosphere. When I first walked into the Madrid dressing room, I was impressed. That was my favorite star club, but guys like Sergio Ramos or Karim Benzema are just normal guys. Spaniards sometimes take the whole group to quiet restaurants. “

Have you talked to Mertens about what it's like to work with Ancelotti (who trained you at Naples) ?: “Ancelotti has already sent me a message. He told me that he is very happy to be coach of Real Madrid again, but that we will have time to talk later. He wished me luck in the Eurocup. I did not have to ask Mertens what Carlo is like Ancelotti, because there are still many players in Madrid (Benzema, Modric, Kroos …) who remember him from his previous stage. Everyone says that Ancelotti is fantastic. A good person who knows how to play and lead a group. Last season, Real did not win anything, next season we want to take revenge “.

Zidane's goodbye: “I called him. It hurt me to see him leave. We had two years in which we were able to show beautiful things. That is a disappointment for both him and me. Everyone knows the relationship I had with Zidane. He was my idol. Thanks to him I started to look at football with admiration. That goal he scored in the Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen … Everyone knows that volley. Well, hopefully one day he scores such a beautiful goal. I should try that. Maybe at the Euro Cup (laughs) “.