Hazard spoke for the press during the international break as he was called by Roberto Martinez for the games vs Wales and Netherlands. The Belguaian acknowledged that his situation at Real Madrid is "delicate" because he is content at the club but gets little playing time. Hazard was signed from Chelsea in 2019 for a club record transfer fee, but has failed to make any impact as a Galactico, being riddled with injuries on a never-ending basis.
The Belgian international was praised by Carlo Ancelotti in preseason and at the end of the last campaign, Hazard told a square full of Real Madrid fans that he would do everything possible to give the best of himself. While he looked neat and tidy against Celtic in the Champions League for 60 minutes, another hour cameo against Real Mallorca from the start lost him his place again.
Hazard played 65 minutes in the game vs Wales which Belgium won 2-1 and made a decent performance. He looked his usual self, as the Real Madrid winger cut back in and tried to curl past Wales’s goalkeeper a number of times. A fit and hungry Hazard is always dangerous.
During the interview with RTL after the game vs Wales he said: “I was happy to start another match. You saw that, I think. I’m happy when I play and it was nice to play for the supporters here again. Our first half was very good. I know what I can do. Now I want to get in shape for the World Cup. We’ll see what the coach decides, but I’m happiest when I play. There have been difficult and tough times because I wanted to play, but I’m not playing. I feel good at Real Madrid, but I’m playing less. And when I go out on the pitch I feel good. It’s a complicated situation. I want to play more”.
With the armband as the captain, Hazard played another 65 minutes in the closing match vs Netherlands where Belgium was defeated 1-0. He came again with a decent performance completing 32 passes, 1 dribble, 2 long passes, winning 7 duels and creating one opportunity for the teammates. However, he was forced to leave the field due to minor injury. Marten de Roon from Netherlands tripped him and he remained on the field for some moments as the medical team came to help him. The coach decided to take him off in order not to risk anything.
Turning back in time just before the international break began, Belgium coach Roberto Martinez said for the press that he believes playmaker Eden Hazard is in a good frame of mind and is not concerned about his lack of minutes at Real Madrid this season. The coach said he would see his progress during the games and then with 7 weeks until World Cup will try to increase the player’s capacity to play more minutes. Hazard will potentially have a big role to play for Belgium at the World Cup in Qatar, but might still have to prove his form and fitness with the national team.
"He is good. You always get the same question, 'has he played enough minutes?'. But he has not missed a training session and been really good behind the scenes. The lack of minutes and game time is there, but he is in a good mindset and is looking forward to being on the pitch. I see energy and happiness around Eden, which I did not see six months ago", Martinez told reports.
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