"Doesn't have a bad life" - Real Madrid star Toni Kroos has no sympathy for outcast who has fallen out of favour with Carlo Ancelotti
Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos seemingly has no mercy regarding Eden Hazard's situation at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Belgian attacker has fallen down the pecking order under Carlo Ancelotti.
Hazard's future has been a hot topic of debate as he struggles with game time under Ancelotti. He has featured just seven times across competitions this season, scoring once and providing an assist. The former Chelsea winger's contract expires in a year, but he's being frozen out at the Bernabeu.
Nevertheless, Kroos has no sympathy for Hazard and his situation at Real Madrid. He said (via Madrid Universal):
“Maybe I have no mercy for Hazard, but he doesn’t have a bad life or is having a bad time. You can feel sorry for people who have a much worse time (not footballers).”
Meanwhile, Ancelotti was also harsh in his assessment of Hazard's situation. The Merengues boss said that he puts out the best team possible to win games.
“Hazard? I am not here to give everyone minutes. I am here to win. I don’t look a player’s salary or age. I put a team to win games, nothing else.”
Hazard joined Real Madrid from Chelsea in 2019 for €115 million, making a name as one of Europe's finest attacking talents.
However, injuries have plagued his spell with Los Blancos. He has managed just 73 appearances in three and a half seasons, scoring seven goals and contributing 11 assists. The Belgian has suggested that his relationship with Ancelotti is essentially non-existent:
"There’s respect between Ancelotti and I. But I’m not going to say we talk to each other because we don’t. But there will always be respect. I have to have respect for a guy like Ancelotti."
Real Madrid's Luka Modric on importance of El Clasico clash
Real Madrid travel to the Camp Nou to face Barcelona in a top-of-the-table clash between the El Clasico rivals on Sunday (March 19). Los Blancos trail the Blaugrana by nine points with just 13 games remaining.
Modric said that the battle at the Camp Nou would be Madrid's last hope of keeping the title race alive. He said (via the Dubrovnik Times):
"El Clasico is our last chance to fight for La Liga? Yes, I would agree. We are aware of that. This is our last train in the fight for the title."
The El Clasico rivals have faced off three times across competitions this season. Madrid clinched a 3-1 win at the Bernabeu in the reverse fixture in October. However, Barcelona beat Los Merengues 3-1 in the Supercopa de Espana final in January. They also secured a 1-0 away win in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal earlier this month.