"There is still magic in this player" - Vincent Kompany backs Real Madrid superstar to come back stronger amid recent struggles
Former Manchester City centre-back Vincent Kompany recently claimed that Real Madrid superstar Eden Hazard still has a lot to offer. The Belgian forward has failed to find his feet since his 2019 move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Los Blancos bought Hazard for €100 million, hoping that the attacker would be a worthy heir to Cristiano Ronaldo's legendary number seven shirt. However, Hazard's time in the Spanish capital has been plagued by persistent injury issues.
The former Chelsea winger has made only 75 appearances for Real Madrid, scoring seven goals and providing 12 assists. He has played nine matches this term, scoring one goal and providing two assists.
Hazard announced his retirement from international football following Belgium's exit from the group stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Kompany, however, believes his former international teammate still has an element of magic in him. Speaking about Hazard, the Burnley manager told RTBF (via GOAL):
“Talking about the end of his career is too early for me. The most important thing is that Eden had injuries and that’s what changed. Having injuries, you have to respect the fact that you can’t control that. He had to deal with injuries and the aftermath. And it’s always hard to come back.”
Kompany added:
“Behind that, there is always the player who gave us a lot of good moments, who made us proud to support Belgium. And then, there is always someone who still has a fight to fight and still has something to do at some point. He can still score in the Champions League final, he can still win a title. There is still magic in this player, in the person. And we have to hope for the best for him so that he finishes as he deserves.”
Hazard recently provided an assist for Real Madrid during their 6-0 win over Real Valladolid in La Liga on April 2.
Real Madrid will face Chelsea in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final
Real Madrid will be in action on Tuesday, April 18 as they take on Eden Hazard's former club, Chelsea, in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final at Stamford Bridge.
Los Blancos won the first leg 2-0 as Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio got on the scoresheet. They will be confident in their ability to progress to the semi-finals against a misfiring Chelsea team.
Carlo Ancelotti's team defeated Cadiz on the road by a scoreline of 2-0 in their La Liga clash over the weekend. Chelsea, meanwhile, lost 2-1 to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday and are still searching for their first win under caretaker manager Frank Lampard.