Why Eden Hazard may miss Real Madrid at Huesca

Real Madrid left winger Eden Hazard has not played a full 90 minutes this season in 13 appearances across all competitions, as Los Blancos continue to manage their oft-injured superstar’s minutes.

Hazard has suffered a couple of injuries already in the 2002-2021 campaign, so when there were rumblings of another injury this week, Madridistas grew concerned.

Libertad’s Sergio Valentin has clarified (tweet in Spanish) the reason why Eden Hazard did not train on Tuesday before this weekend’s match against Huesca. Per Valentin, Hazard is not injured, but he could receive some rest and thus be held out of Saturday afternoon’s match.

Madrid Xtra tweeted a report from COPE’s Miguel Angel Diaz stating that Hazard is dealing with muscular fatigue, hence the doubts regarding the winger’s status for La Liga’s Matchday 22.

Real Madrid have to prioritize Eden Hazard for the Champions League

If Hazard is unable to play, Zinedine Zidane would have two options on the left-hand side of his attack against Huesca, whom Real Madrid defeated 4-1 earlier this season with Hazard on the pitch.

Zidane could play Marco Asensio on the left instead of the right, as he’s generally looked better on that side of the pitch. But it is more likely for him to give another chance to Vinicius Junior, who is in need of another confidence boost. Vinicius hasn’t played well in weeks, as he struggled off the bench as Hazard’s substitute in the loss to Levante.

The key here is making sure Hazard is 100 percent. Although Real Madrid are not out of the title race yet, their main focus has likely turned away from La Liga and toward the Champions League, where there is more unpredictability that favors Real in spite of the increased difficulty of competition. Given that clubs like PSG and Juventus are struggling in their leagues, Los Blancos have a fighting chance.

But that chance only really exists if Hazard is 100 percent. Keep an eye out for more information regarding his status before Saturday’s match at Huesca.