He is coming D-day and H-hour for Madrid, this Friday, August 7, in which, starting at nine o'clock at night (Movistar Champions League) faces a game without a net, in the Etihad, against a powerful City and with the advantage of 1-2 of the first leg. It's time for the best and in the club they are pending of whether Hazard (29 years old) could finally be the ace in the sleeve of Zidane, a very uncertain wish at this time.
The Belgian's right ankle remains a sensitive issue, not in vain has he been intervened in the area twice in his career and the discomfort has not completely disappeared. The accumulation of blows in June, with the return of the competition, he was extinguishing the light of a Hazard that had shone in his reappearance. He suffered physically and psychologically, with pain and a certain fear that his situation would be aggravated by these sets. Daily tests and reviews at Valdebebas showed some fluid and the need to strengthen the area. In the dispatches, in line with this, a very significant statistic stands out: Hazard finished the League with 50 fouls received in 1,086 minutes, on average one every 21.72, which is the second highest average of the tournament, only behind the celtician Rafinha (20.95).
Eden's account in the sprint for the title he stayed in 338 minutes spread over six days. The demanding schedule and the toughness of the rivals made him go from more to less: after his starts against Eibar and Valencia he rested against Real due to muscle fatigue; He returned to visit Mallorca leaving some brushstroke, and repeated in eleven against Espanyol, where a kick took him out of the game and from the lists for Getafe and Athletic; against Alavés his role was testimonial, just eight minutes, in Granada he did not jump on the pitch and against Villarreal, the appointment in which the championship was certified, had 62 minutes; With the duties done and the trajectory that the '7' had been following, Zidane did not want to risk and did not take him to Butarque.
In the locker room they see a Hazard on the rise. Militao He explained it this way last Sunday at AS: “He is an incredible player, essential for us. For him, it will also be a fundamental match. It is moving forward again. It will help us, for sure. “ Be that as it may, there is certainty in the dispatches that Eden will not be 100% in Manchester, something for which competition time is necessary. But in Madrid they know that, even so, if he plays, he is capable of making a difference.
Vinicius, the most logical alternative
Given the doubts generated by Hazard's evolution, Zidane has been thinking about the many alternatives of which it has to cover a loss as sensitive as that of its great star, which circumstances have deprived of demonstrating its potential. Of all the options, the most natural would be to bet on Vinicius. The carioca has been the replacement chosen by Zizou in three of Hazard's six absences in eleven in the final section of LaLiga. In favor of Vini, in addition, he plays the remarkable performance offered, which even led the coach to test the way to join Eden in the lineup despite sharing position.
The range, however, is very wide. Zidane could also choose to place Asensio in the left lane and give Rodrygo a right entrance, as he did in San Mamés, although the Balearic is more comfortable on the right side. Lucas Vázquez and, especially Bale, have far fewer ballots. Another formula could be to introduce a fourth midfielder. That would only have two attackers: Benzema and, theoretically, Asensio or Vinicius.