Hazard looks to the derby

Eden Hazard looks to the derby, The Belgian footballer, injured since February 3 with a muscle tear in the left anterior rectus, went out for a jog in Valdebebas on Thursday with the white physical trainer, the Frenchman Grégory Dupont, encouraging hopes that he can cut deadlines to return to play as soon as possible. On Friday he went back to doing soft work on the grass. Hazard, spellbound by injuries since he arrived at Madrid (he has been 10 in just a year and a half), aims to be available for Zidane to line him up in the derby against Atlético de Madrid on March 7 (4:15 pm) at the Metropolitano.

The initial forecast of the white club regarding Hazard's injury was between three and four weeks, which made it very difficult for the Belgian to reach the derby, a fundamental duel in Madrid's fight for LaLiga. The white team is now five points behind the rojiblancos in the standings, but they have played two more games; if Simeone's men win their two pending stakes, they could take the advantage to eleven points, practically insurmountable. In anticipation of what may happen, Zidane's men need to win at the Wanda Metropolitano to cut athletic income by three points and keep on the prowl.

Last Friday, in his most explosive press conference since he was coach of Madrid, Zidane also released a ray of hope in relation to Hazard, injured only two days before: “He has two or three weeks …”. A forecast that significantly cuts the forecasts issued from the club (which came to speak, in some cases, of six weeks); The question now is whether Zidane was expressing a reality or a desire, cryptic as the French are always when commenting on the news of the white team.

Zidane gives hope with Hazard

Although in Madrid they know that Hazard's physical condition requires caution, as his repeated muscle injuries have made him prone to breaking easily; from Belgium they already pointed to Zidane weeks ago for pushing Hazard too much after overcoming an injury. The coach must have understood that the criticisms had a certain basis, because after his ailment prior to the current one, he gradually got him into the team … but it did not prevent him from falling again.

To be available against Atleti, Hazard should have been able to play at least a few minutes in the previous matches, which puts the focus on the visit of the Royal Society to Valdebebas on March 1. If the Belgian does not make it to that meeting, the maximum he can aspire to is to be in the call for the derby, with a view to being able to be revulsive from the bench. Hazard needs all the opportunities he can take advantage of, as his path to white until today has been largely disappointing after the 100 million paid for Madrid to Chelsea in the summer of 2019: just four goals and seven assists in a year and a half. The 7-M derby could be a turnaround if Eden manages to show up on time.