Carlo Ancelotti blasts forgotten man Eden Hazard

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has delivered a brutal verdict on Eden Hazard’s infamous spell at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Despite joining Los Merengues as one of Europe’s standout performers from Chelsea in 2019, the 32-year-old has become a somewhat forgotten figure in La Liga.

Recurring injury problems, a lack of self-discipline and underwhelming displays have turned a once Premier League MVP into a Bernabeu scapegoat.

Hazard has amassed only seven appearances in all competitions this season, making just one league start, as Ancelotti seems to have no interest in reigniting the Belgian’s faltering career.

The underperforming winger last featured for Madrid in a 4-1 home league thumping of Mallorca in mid-November and has yet to record a single minute of top-flight action in 2023.

Ancelotti’s decision to push a €150 million signing to the fringes has sparked rumours of a breakdown in the relationship between the player and the manager, with the Italian going public to address those talks.

Asked to provide an update on Hazard’s stealth mode in the Spanish capital, the Italian tactician replied: “I’m not here to give each player minutes, I’m here to win games,” as per Fabrizio Romano.

“I put the best starting eleven to win games. I don’t look at how much a player earns or his age, it’s just about performances.”

Although Hazard continues to struggle on the margins of the Madrid squad, he reportedly intends to see out his lucrative contract at the Bernabeu, according to The Athletic.

The same report says that the player’s representatives held talks with the club hierarchy to ‘review’ his situation.

And while the outcome of the meeting remains undisclosed, it’s understood that the out-of-favour forward holds nothing against the prospect of honouring his deal, regardless of a restricted playing time.

Interestingly, Hazard’s abysmal career at Los Blancos didn’t influence his status in the national team as he captained Belgium at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar before announcing his retirement in December.