Real Madrid: 3 players with a final chance to deliver in 2021/22
By Sudhir Salvi
EDEN HAZARD
Eden Hazard had an abysmal time under Zinedine Zidane in both of his seasons living in the Spanish capital. The player struggled with fitness for nearly two years and failed to deliver when the team needed him most. However, in 2020/21, when there was more clarity over his injury struggles, he did a better job but definitely not one to do justice to his price tag.
The Real Madrid fanbase was also unhappy with Eden Hazard for turning up in a poor physical state to his presentation and eventually for pre-season, which they thought was careless on the player’s part and disrespectful to his status as a Galactico. His photographs of laughing with his former Chelsea teammates after losing in the Champions League made the issue worse.
In the upcoming season, there are already greater expectations on Hazard’s shoulders than there ever were and it is up to him to deliver. A player of his wage and his reputation simply cannot be cut any more slack on the field and he, among all other players, would have the focus on him from the fans and media alike amid tremendous pressure to deliver the goods on a regular basis.
Should he manage at least 10 goals and 10 assists in all competitions, it would be seen as a success.