LW Eden Hazard
This was the breakout game that Real Madrid fans were itching for. Zidane allowed Eden Hazard to play more fluidly in attack, as he would pop up in central areas and on the right. His goal, in fact, came from a run up the middle, as he took the feed from the industrious Fede Valverde, chipping the ball delightfully over Rui Silva for a satisfying first goal in a Madrid shirt.
Hazard is always looking to entertain the Bernabeu crowd, which is why he does so many tricky flicks and goes for cheeky finishes like that difficult – but deliciously successful – chip of Granada’s above-average goalkeeper.
Although Hazard’s influence on the proceedings wasn’t as profound in the second half, he certainly made his mark from around the 30th minute until the end of the first half. The goal itself was worth the price of admission, and his solid dribbling and awareness allowed him to pick out Luka Modric, who did the rest to score what has been Real’s best goal of the 2019-2020 campaign thus far.
Earlier, Hazard also won a free kick that Sergio Ramos nearly scored off a deflection, showcasing how much defenses fear Hazard whenever he comes barreling down the heart of the goal. He nearly created another goal-scoring opportunity by making an ingenious run off of the ball to beat the back line, and Hazard’s movement will continue to be a big storyline to watch for Real fans.