The Real Champs
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Real Madrid vs. Inter Milan: 5 key players to watch in the Champions League

By Kevin Parvizi

Eden Hazard of Real Madrid (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Eden Hazard of Real Madrid (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) /
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Real Madrid, Eden Hazard
Real Madrid, Eden Hazard (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images) /

LW Eden Hazard

Eden Hazard should draw the start in the must-win matchup against Inter. The Belgian superstar truly looked like a superstar against Huesca, and it was no coincidence that Karim Benzema bagged his first brace of the 2020-2021 season in Hazard’s first start.

The former Chelsea man makes everyone around him that much better, but he’s also capable of doing it all on his own. His opening goal against Huesca was a beautiful strike from nearly 30 meters out, swerving the opposite way off his weaker left foot.

Hazard should make the difference again on Tuesday vs. Inter. Don’t be surprised if the 29-year-old scores another wondergoal. He seems so determined to have a world-class season for Real Madrid in 2020-2021 after being robbed of excellence last season by injury.

CM Fede Valverde

Karim Benzema leads Real Madrid with three goals in La Liga this season, and that stat comes to nobody’s surprise. In fact, the No. 9 is expected to be Real’s leading scorer. But he won’t have to carry the load as much this season, since a couple of other players are stepping up their scoring contributions, specifically Fede Valverde.

Seriously, after eight Matchdays in La Liga, who saw Fede already having three goals and tying Benzema for the team lead?

Valverde has scored in back-to-back La Liga games, with delicious finishes to beat Barcelona and Huesca. It is wonderful to see Valverde scoring goals at this rate, because he showed goal-scoring potential from beyond the box in his breakout 2019-2020 campaign for Real Madrid.

Perhaps Valverde has another goal in him against Inter. But most importantly, he’ll need to be the one to provide the running and defensive work rate against Antonio Conte’s extremely committed Inter midfield. Nothing is easy in a big Champions League matchup against a Conte-coached side.

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