Hazard, second attempt – AS.com

The last thing Madrid knew about Hazard Before signing him it was that a year before he had been the second best soccer player in the World Cup in Russia, who had played 52 games in each of the previous two seasons with Chelsea, that the harvest of goals (17 and 21, respectively) had been great and that in their farewell match they had given the Europa League to the London team with two goals and an assist in the defeat (4-1) against Arsenal. A torrent of arguments that justified the hundred million paid to advance in a year, which is when he was free, his arrival. A no-buts operation by a head-to-toe galactic recommended by Zidane after a blank year at Madrid.

What came later was a disappointment: an overweight player in the summer who took a long time to start, two serious injuries and one more minor, 210 days off (192 in the previous six years, including the 80 in which he stopped that ankle that has given him so much trouble at Madrid), only 22 matches (only five complete) and a goal. The worst records of his career. The worst nightmare for Madrid, which even without him was champion. A triumph very little attributable to his influence.

The second act also started badly. The pandemic disfigured everything, but he He preferred to sign up for two games with Belgium rather than resign to catch up with Madrid. Roberto Martínez did not give him a minute to check his status and his club misunderstood that everything for the country that ended up being nothing for the country. He was absent in Anoeta and Villamarín, but he will be against Valladolid, although perhaps not at the start (follow the game live on AS.com). Madrid awaits its galactic in this second attempt.

Hazard returns in full debate on lack of goal, the nine substitute, the mutant drawings of Zidane and a microscope VAR. Asensio also returns, another unpublished since he fell from the last summons of Luis Enrique for a knee swelling. Neither has the Spaniard broken as a scorer: six in his best year.

On the other corner, Valladolid he has made austerity a virtue. It's known with little goal and survives denying it to the rival. Only the descendants Leganés and Espanyol scored less than him last year, but it was the second least thrashed team in the second half of the table. And he continues on that path now: two goals and two points in three games, with better feelings than gains. Last season he drew a draw at the Bernabéu and Madrid could only beat him at Zorrilla with a Nacho's last minute goal. It is a difficult team to tackle, despite the fact that it has lost important players (Salisu, Enes Ünal, Sandro …).

Sergio almost repeated eleven in the first two games (only changed to goal Roberto for Masip's positive for COVID) and rotated to five in the third after the defeat at Villamarín. Today he is expected to shake the lineup again because on Saturday a team of its kind, Eibar, before which your prospects are better. Could be headline for the first time Weissman, the Israeli who last season put 37 goals in 40 games at the Austrian Wolfsberger. So far he has played two little moments. And the side Sergio López can make his debut, who changed this summer the white quarry for the pucelana.

The losses of Valladolid are offset by those of Madrid. The most notable, that of Kroos, with Casemiro the leading midfielder of Zidane. In any case, there is plenty of ammunition: Valverde, Odegaard, Modric or Isco. Between two and three could be in the eleven. And it is even possible that a door will open for Marcelo against a team whose attack will not demand as much as Real or Betis. Zidane wants to keep you connected.