National coach Roberto Martinez has responded for the first time to the controversy surrounding Eden Hazard. The Red Devil – like some other Devils – went to party in a Brussels nightclub less than 48 hours before the decisive Nations League match against the Netherlands. “I don’t want this to happen again,” Martinez told RTBF.
Between the two matches for the Nations League, the players were given an evening off. Eden Hazard spent it together with some teammates in the Brussels nightclub Bloody Louis, according to images on social media. Especially in Spain, Hazard’s night out was met with a lot of criticism, now national coach Roberto Martinez has also responded.
“Eden has an important role within the national team, as a person and as a captain,” Martinez began explaining the night off he allowed his players. “We have faith in our players. He was allowed to spend time with his family or friends (that particular Friday evening, ed.). There’s a very clear story behind it, but I’m not going to talk about it in public. It will be discussed internally. I don’t want this to happen again, but there are reasons for this story.’
Martinez also spoke again about the situation of Hazard, who hardly gets off the bench at Real Madrid. “He hasn’t played a series of matches for a long time, everyone knows his situation.” Martinez thinks/hopes that ‘that situation will seriously evolve in the next five weeks’.
World level
Yet Martinez still finds Hazard at world level. “His experience, his influence on opponents, his ability to take out a man, to create danger… I think he is still one of the best players in his position. But the question is whether he can play another 90 minutes, or seven games in a short period.’
At Real Madrid, Hazard was occasionally played out as a false striker due to Benzema’s injury. That is not an option at the Red Devils and at the World Cup in Qatar, according to the national coach. “I don’t see him as a false striker or as a player who can start a game centrally on the field. I also don’t see him as a joker who can make a difference when he gets off the couch. He has to get into the rhythm of the game from the start. We’ve been working with Eden for six years and we know exactly what to expect from him.’
