'Hazard's going to be important for Real Madrid' - Ancelotti

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 1 Jan 2023 17:58 GMT
• 3 min read

Eden Hazard has endured a torrid time at Real Madrid since his club record move from Chelsea in 2019, but he shouldn't give up hope according to his manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Hazard swapped Chelsea for Real in the summer of 2019 in a €146.1 million deal - a a fee which comfortably surpassed what the record European champions had previously paid for Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo.

But the Belgian's form has nosedived in the Spanish capital. He has only managed seven goals in the three-and-a-half seasons since, is yet to play in a Clasico against Barcelona, and he been widely tipped for a transfer away from the Bernabeu.

READ: The five Real Madrid players who could leave in January

The problem for Real, and indeed any potential suitor, is that Hazard is the highest paid player at the club, earning more than €7m a year more than Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, and still has another year to run on his contract beyond next summer.

Ancelotti doesn't plan to have Hazard simply sit on the bench and collect his salary, though.

Carlo Ancelotti on Eden Hazard future

"I see him in a good light," he said ahead of los Blanco's trip to Real Valladolid. "He's trained well. "I see him better than I did before the World Cup, it's true. I'm sure that with all the games we have ahead of us, Hazard's going to be important."

READ: Man Utd on alert as Benzema demands Hazard money at Real Madrid

Hazard has started just a single La Liga game this season - a 4-1 win over Real Mallorca in September, although he has deputised for the injured Benzema in the Champions League and scored as Real beat Celtic 3-0 in Glasgow.

He started two of a possible three games as Belgium were knocked out of the World Cup at the group stage before calling time on his international career - which took in 126 caps and 33 goals - after the tournament.