Eden Hazard (29 years old) landed in Madrid in the summer with the galactic transfer sign. Differential player and at a price of nine figures (100 million euros), however, he has not exercised as such. Injuries have been his cross. Although not the only one. He was out of shape and took two months to take off (an injury earlier in the season changed his pace). And when the star was beginning to be glimpsed, Meunier injured his ankle and ‘ruined’ his first year: he reappeared, but he relapsed and had to undergo surgery. He returned after the physically fine halt, but did not take flight. “My first year has been bad,” acknowledged the Belgian days after undergoing surgery. The resumption of competition after the break due to the coronavirus opened a door for his claim, but he did not reach the speed of the rest of the team. Now, after winning the League, his second white title after the Super Cup, he talks to Franceinfo And he insists that his season did not turn out as he would have liked. “This year, we collectively won this league title, but I have surely had the worst season of my career individually.”
The Belgian acknowledges that his performance has been far from that player who impacted the Premier. But he has always felt the support of Zinedine Zidane, his coach and the man who made the most strength in recent years to dress him in the Real Madrid shirt. The French coach managed last Thursday to lift his 11th title with the white club after redirecting an abandoned team. Hazard surrenders to his coach: “We all know Zidane as a player, he was the best. As a coach, we don't even need to describe him anymore. He has shown, in just a few years, that he is already one of the best coaches. As a coach, it's like when I was a player. She is a simple person who knows how to say things at the right time. He trusts his players and his players trust him, that's why it works. “
Asked about his French companions (Benzema, Varane and Mendy), Hazard also spared no praise towards them. “Karim Benzema is very nice on a daily basis, very simple. He is there to win games, to score goals. I think this year has shown again that it is the best, simply. There is also Varane. In my career, I have met great defenders, such as John Terry or Vincent Kompany. I think Varane, while still young, is already one of the best central defenders in the world. The couple that forms with Sergio Ramos is great. As for Mendy, she has shown that she was not there just to look pretty. If the club has him signed, it is that he has qualities. It is never easy to get to a club, when you are young, and in a club like that. He has shown that he represents the future. “
Champions Challenge
Despite having already conquered the League, the season is not over for Real Madrid. On the horizon, on August 7, a major challenge awaits them: to overcome the Champions League tie against City (1-2 at the Bernabéu) to continue in the competition where whites are kings. A challenge that Hazard faces with optimism: “It was a somewhat strange season, with everything that happened. The season is already very good, but I think it can be even better if we qualify in our second leg of the Champions League round of 16. When you play for Real Madrid, you want to win all the titles. The next one has to be the Champions League, although it will be difficult, because we have to play in Manchester City and they have a very good team ”.