Another Real Madrid low for Hazard as Ancelotti explains Shakhtar snub

Martin Macdonald

• 4 Nov 2021 09:55 GMT
• 3 min read

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has explained why Eden Hazard was left on the bench for the full 90 minutes in the club's Champions League clash with Shakhtar this week.

With Rodrygo out injured, Hazard was in line for a rare start this season, but Ancelotti instead opted to go with Lucas Vazquez in the forward line alongside Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior.

Madrid would go on to win 2-1 thanks to a double from Benzema, with Ancelotti making two changes out of a possible five on the night.

Nacho was brought on for Dani Carvajal while even Hazard's fellow squad outcast Luka Jovic was given minutes, coming on for Benzema with just over 10 minutes to go.

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The Belgian did not make an appearance, and Ancelotti says he initially selected Vazquez as he is more suited to the right-hand side than Hazard as a winger.

“Hazard is ready to play, it could have been today or it could be Saturday,” the Italian said after the win in Europe.

“It’s true that he needs minutes to be at his best condition.

“I have thought about putting him on, but through strategy, I put in a winger.

“Hazard is better through the inside.”

Hazard's big-money transfer to Real Madrid from Chelsea has been an unmitigated disaster so far as his career in the Spanish capital has been ravaged by injuries and fitness issues.

Since his move in 2019, he has started just 25 La Liga games, scoring four goals and recording six assists.

Hazard free to leave Real Madrid?

Hazard's absences in the past for Real Madrid could be explained by his injuries, but now that he is fit and not playing, his future has been called into question.

A return to Chelsea has been mentioned, with other Premier League sides reportedly interested also.

Ancelotti previously commented on Hazard's future, saying he would not stand in the way of a player eager to leave.

"Never in my career as a coach have I forced a player to stay when they want to leave," he said.

"In my own personal opinion I don't have any doubts about that."

Hazard's decline has coincided with the emergence of Vinicius Junior, who is now first-choice in the Belgian's position on the left of the forward three.

Vinicius has been in superb form this season, with nine goals and five assists in 13 starts in all competitions.

Any summer purchase of Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland would only push Hazard further away from the starting XI at Santiago Bernabeu.