Eden Hazard moved from Chelsea to Real Madrid in 2019 for a club-record transfer worth €115 million, as the best player in the Premier League. Whilst leaving Stamford Bridge, Hazard said hoped to face Chelsea one day in the Champions League, for in football, you never know.
That day is upon us, two years since the Belgian’s departure from London to Madrid. And it is safe to say that the winger’s spell at the Spanish capital has been extremely disappointing by his own standards. However, consistent injuries are to blame for that as well.
Hazard has suffered more injuries than he has scored goals for his ‘dream club’ and now faces his former club, where he is still hailed as a clear cut club legend. Signed from Lille for €35 million, Hazard’s seven year spell at Chelsea saw him make 352 appearances for the Blues, and score 110 goals alongside 92 assists.
While it is unlikely that Zinedine Zidane will start Hazard in tonight’s first leg fixture, the player is expected to make an appearance from the bench at the very least. Considering the fact that he created more chances than any Madrid player in 13 minutes as a sub against Real Betis in their last outing, the match against Chelsea could see him back at his best.
Chelsea fans will surely be pleased to see Hazard in action, as well as his former teammates, but all that disappears in the 90 minutes on the pitch, where Eden Hazard is a Real Madrid player and Chelsea is the team to beat for a place in the finals across two legs.