"Instead of blaming Carlo Ancelotti, blame yourself" - Former Liverpool star lashes out at Real Madrid's Eden Hazard after recent comments
Former Liverpool left-back Jose Enrique has lashed out at Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard after the latter's recent comments about manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Hazard recently claimed that he wants to play more for Los Blancos and that he isn't on talking terms with the Italian tactician. Speaking to Belgian media outlet RTBF, via AS (h/t Football-Espana), the former Belgium international stated:
"I would like to stay. I’ve always said that. I hope to play and to show that I can still do it. People have doubts, that’s normal, I understand. But for me, I’m still here next year. You never know, but a transfer is not in my plan.
Hazard, who joined Real Madrid from Chelsea in 2019 for a fee of £150 million with add-ons, added:
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 a guy like Ancelotti. For what he represents for football, and for what he’s done in his career."
For me maybe he should look at himself and see why he is not been playing. 4 season in a row that he is not a starting player so maybe instead of blaming Carlo Ancelotti blame yourself and think that maybe is something that you have to change no everyone else https://t.co/cGx4pm8qDa
Enrique tweeted a scathing response to Hazard's comments. He wrote:
"For me maybe he should look at himself and see why he is not been playing. 4 seasons [sic.] in a row that he is not a starting player so maybe instead of blaming Carlo Ancelotti, blame yourself and think that maybe [it] is something that you have to change not [sic.] everyone else."
Since joining Los Merengues, Hazard has started just 29 times in La Liga. He has featured in just seven games across competitions this season under manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Real Madrid want to offload Eden Hazard - Reports
Real Madrid are desperate to offload Eden Hazard from their wage books a year before his contract expires at the Santiago Bernabeu, as per Fichajes.
His current deal runs until the summer of 2024 and he is believed to be earning £400,000 per week in wages. There aren't many clubs interested in the 32-year-old, which is why Real Madrid could urge the player to terminate his contract prematurely.
This would, of course, entail foregoing a year's worth of wages. This now seems improbable, given Hazard's aforementioned comments where he has denied any possibility of leaving this summer.
It remains to be seen how Real Madrid plan to offload Hazard this summer if the player doesn't cooperate. As in Gareth Bale's case, they could have to keep him until the end of his contract despite the player not contributing much.
The Welshman left Madrid as a free agent in 2022 after playing just 283 minutes of league football in his last season with the club.