Real Madrid: 5 players who need to shine in July

Real Madrid need these players to stand out in the month of July.

In their five games since La Liga’s return, Real Madrid have not dropped points, though they have been pushed to their limit twice recently against Real Sociedad and Espanyol. Their narrow 1-0 victory at the RCDE Stadium, which was the result of a moment of magic from Karim Benzema, is a poignant reminder of how difficult winning each game will be.

But that’s the standard Real needs to set, even if another recent Barcelona draw gives Zinedine Zidane’s men a little more room for error. In their mind, the title is in their own hands, so nothing less than perfection will be tolerated.

Real will need these five players to shine in July in order to win the league.

LW Eden Hazard

Left winger Eden Hazard was one of the team’s top players when football first returned, and he put on another clinic against Eibar. But recently, Hazard’s star has fallen again. He failed to make an impact in the 2-0 win over Mallorca as an attacking midfielder and was practically invisible against Espanyol, playing little role in the team’s attack.

Statistically, Hazard, per WhoScored.com, drew four fouls and completed a few dribbles. But he was effectively neutralized by Espanyol. A superstar player, Hazard needs to contribute more consistently to Real’s goal-scoring output. When he has an off game, as he did against Espanyol, the rest of the team feels it.