Real Madrid flop Hazard told to stay away from nightclubs
FT Desk
- Updated: 9 Oct 2022 16:08 BST
- 3 min read
Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has warned Eden Hazard about his future behaviour following his recent nightclub controversy.
The winger was spotted out late two days before Belgium faced Netherlands in a vital Nations League encounter last month.
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The incident did not go down well in his homeland, while Hazard faced heavy criticism back in Madrid also.
What did Martinez say?
"Eden has an important role to play within the team, as a person but also as captain," Martinez tod RTBF.
"We trust our players, and he was allowed to spend time off.
"There is a very clear story behind this, but I am not going to talk about it in public, it will be handled internally. I would not like to see this repeated, but there are reasons for this story."
Hazard has been an unmitigated disaster since joining Real Madrid in a €100 million deal in 2019.
Arriving overweight for pre-season laid down a marker for a troubled first three and a bit seasons. A talisman who often carried his Chelsea team to success is now being brought along for the ride, with injuries and poor discipline to blame.
Since arriving at Real, the once unplayable Belgian has had more injuries than goal contributions. Madrid have been desperate to get rid of him for the last couple of years but there are no takers.
This season he has just one start and three substitute appearances.
So is he now better off as an impact player off the bench?
"I don't see him as a joker who can make the difference coming from the bench," Martinez added.
"His style of play is the opposite: he is a player who must take the rhythm of the match in hand, from the start of the match."
