Hazard 'now avoids more contact in his game,' says Belgium teammate Benteke
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 17 Nov 2021 04:03 CST
- 3 min read
Belgium and Crystal Palace forward Christian Benteke has revealed that his international teammate and Real Madrid star Eden Hazard "now avoids more contact in his game" due to his injury struggles.
Hazard joined Real Madrid from Chelsea in 2019, but since switching Stamford Bridge for the Santiago Bernabeu, he's been unable to hit top form.
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In his first two league campaigns, Hazard scored just four goals, with injury issues preventing him from stringing together some form.
His style of play at Chelsea certainly invited challenges, and he was the most fouled Premier League player in countless seasons, and it seems to have caught up with him.
He's no longer first choice at Los Blancos, with the likes of Vinicius Junior stepping up this season, but Benteke still has faith that his good friend will rediscover his best form.
Speaking to Flemish newspaper Nieuwsblad, Benteke spoke of Hazard's recent troubles.
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Despite his struggles in Madrid, Benteke believes: "Eden can still be decisive. But he's also human.
"Hazard has an injury history now and now avoids more contact in his game. When you drag such a past with you, you subconsciously think about it.
"But it's not because he doesn't dribble five or six men anymore that Eden can't control matches anymore. He moves intelligently now."
The former Chelsea man has missed over 40 games since joining Real Madrid, and, as such, has been forced to adapt the way he plays.
Benteke himself has been given another chance to prove himself at international level with Romelu Lukaku, Belgium's record goal-scorer, currently out injured.
