Real Madrid: Eden Hazard hasn’t missed a beat, and that’s scary

Real Madrid left winger Eden Hazard returned to the starting lineup last weekend against Celta Vigo, and while the club dropped points in the match, the Belgian showed no signs of rust.

During the month of November, Eden Hazard was on fire for Real Madrid. The summer signing was clicking alongside Karim Benzema in the attack, putting on a masterclass performance in a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad. Per Whoscored.com, Hazard completed a jaw-dropping 10 dribbles and drew seven fouls in the victory.

He wasn’t quite as scintillating against Celta Vigo last Sunday, but for a player returning from a multi-month ankle injury, he looked tremendous. Hazard was far and away the best player on the pitch for either team, so while Real Madrid drew 2-2, Hazard honestly deserved to be on the winning side.

According to WhoScored.com, Hazard completed two dribbles, drew two fouls, and had a team-high three key passes in 73 minutes before being substituted. One of those fouls drawn led to a penalty kick goal for Sergio Ramos, so without Hazard, Celta probably would have defeated Real at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Although Real’s overall performance was disappointing, Hazard’s excellent work in the attack, which included some great tight passing with Benzema, should leave Real fans feeling optimistic.

Los Blancos will face Manchester City in the opening round of the Champions League knockout stages next week, and Hazard’s strong performance on La Liga’s Matchday 24 is a sign that he doesn’t need a “tune up” before the big game. Even after all that missed time, Hazard is still in his element.

That gives Zinedine Zidane some flexibility with Hazard this coming weekend against Levante. Real Madrid can afford to rest Eden Hazard on the bench for most of the game, starting Vinicius Junior and judging exactly when to bring on Hazard to keep the motor warm before Wednesday’s bigger clash with City.

Hazard would have been forgiven for showing rust in his first game back since his sensational performance against PSG with four key pass and four dribbles completed. But the 29-year-old looked as crisp as ever, growing into the game as the first half went on.

When Hazard is on the pitch and on the same wavelength as his teammates, he is unstoppable. Defenders find it extremely difficult to take the ball off him, and Hazard’s ability to create chances with his short passing and incisive dribbling go beyond the “assists” column.

Real Madrid are in a good position going into their first Champions League fixture against Pep Guardiola and Manchester City, and Hazard’s maintenance of form post-injury is one of the most positive signs.