Eden Hazard recently said that he just needed a good performance under his belt to rediscover his confidence and that he was desperate to get back up to speed. Now, with LaLiga Santander and the Champions League on the line, the Belgian has had that good performance.
The No.7 started for Real Madrid against Osasuna on Saturday for the first time in three months. He had played his first minutes against Real Betis, but on Saturday he was given 71 minutes on the pitch, and he was probably one of the better players in white going forward.
Hazard was excellent in the first half. He played a phenomenal through ball that Sergio Herrera had to be at his best to prevent from becoming a goal. When he had the ball, there was a real feeling that something could happen.
Now the question is whether or not Zinedine Zidane sees him as ready to start on Wednesday at Stamford Bridge. There is a hope around the club that the player could start, with him not feeling any discomfort since Saturday.
Zidane knows that Real Madrid have trouble finding a way to goal, which was again seen against Osasuna, and the Belgian could be a remedy for that.
Real Madrid know they need at least one goal at Chelsea. Zidane knows that Hazard can unlock a defence better than most players can, and there is extra motivation for the player against his former club.
The question, should he play, will be who will Zidane leave out of the team to accommodate him. It’s likely that either Marco Asensio or Vinicius Junior will drop to the bench, but both could miss out if Hazard and Fede Valverde are chosen.
Valverde’s inclusion would likely mean four in midfield, leaving Hazard as Karim Benzema’s only partner in attack.
Meanwhile, Raphael Varane has been ruled out of Real Madrid’s Champions League semi final second leg against Chelsea with a muscular injury.
The Frenchman had to come off against Osasuna after feeling some distress, and tests have confirmed the injury as serious enough to rule him out for the trip to Stamford Bridge.
It comes as another defensive blow to Zinedine Zidane, who is already without Lucas Vazquez and Dani Carvajal, while Sergio Ramos and Ferland Mendy are still doubtful.
“After the tests carried out today on our player Raphael Varane by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he was diagnosed with an injury to the right abductor muscles,” read Los Blancos’ medical team’s report.
Madrid had not been optimistic about Varane’s availability on Sunday, as an ultrasound showed a bruise and a clear muscular injury.
The only positive news for Zidane in regards to his defence is that Ramos and Mendy trained with the group on Monday.
Yet Varane’s injury comes at the worst possible time, ahead of the biggest game of the season so far.