Official: Hazard leaves Madrid

It’s finish. In a day of farewells and official announcements, the surprise comes with the third: Eden Hazard leaves Real Madrid. Marco Asensio opened fire, followed by Mariano and shortly after 8:00 p.m. the white team made the friendly divorce with the Belgian footballer official. Tomorrow, against Athletic, will be the last game of the winger with the white elastic after arriving in 2019 as the heir to the throne that Cristiano Ronaldo vacated in 2018. An ordeal of injuries has not allowed the player from La Louviére to resemble the player he fell in love with at Chelsea and his time at Madrid ends suddenly. His contract expired on June 30, 2024, but the separation is brought forward one season…

Statement from Real Madrid

“Real Madrid CF and Eden Hazard have reached an agreement whereby the player will be cut from the club as of June 30, 2023.

Eden Hazard has been part of our club for four seasons, in which he has won 8 titles: 1 European Cup, 1 Club World Cup, 1 European Super Cup, 2 Leagues, 1 Copa del Rey and 2 Spanish Super Cups.

Real Madrid wants to express its affection for Eden Hazard and wishes him and all his family the best of luck in this new stage”.

His last white campaign has been a I want to but I can not. He promised in Cibeles that he would return. “Madridistas, I’ve been here for three years with many injuries, with many things… But next year I’m going to give everything for you”. A promise, microphone in hand, that the wind took away. Ancelotti tried to relocate him, since his left wing has had an owner for a long time (Vinicius). As false nine, as an alternative to Benzema. An attempt that, beyond the flash from Glasgow, where he replaced an injured Karim and closed Celtic to 3-0 with his only goal of the season, did not materialize.

392 minutes in total for a footballer who arrived as a planetary star and ended up in the caboose in a squad where only Vallejo (88′), Odriozola (92′) and Mariano (155′) have had fewer minutes than Eden. 7% of the total time, four titles out of 60. And not even with Benzema, Vinicius and Asensio on leave did he dress short. Pizjuán confirmed it, with an overpopulation of midfielders (up to five, with Ceballos on the left) and Álvaro coming on as a shock. While Hazard stayed at zero.

Three seasons of great collective brilliance (eight titles, including the magical Fourteenth), but little individual (7 goals and 12 assists in 76 games). The injuries, the cursed ankle, have been his Achilles heel. On November 26, 2019, the entry of his compatriot Thomas Meunier in a Champions League match against PSG cut short his progression when Eden began to take flight in his first season. What was a bruise on his ankle led to a fissure and then worsened. It all ended in surgery, in Dallas, with Dr. Eugene Curry. He came back from Texas with a new titanium plate that didn’t fix the problem. In March 2022 he returned to the operating room. Goodbye to the osteosynthesis plate that he had on his right fibula. The hope was to be 100% again. Both physically and mentally. But that desire did not come to take shape.

Withdrawal?

In this way the desire of the club is fulfilled, contrary to that of the player. Hazard reaffirmed himself after the Cup final. He wanted to stay. But Madrid wanted to include him in the ‘exit operation’. His 15 million euros net per season were a drag on the entity’s accounts for a footballer, the best paid, That was not in the future plans. A economic relief to be able to face future operations and contracts (Bellingham, Kane?). Finally a common point has been reached. A handshake confirming goodbye. Now, it’s Eden’s turn to think. According to The Athletic, Hazard even values ​​the withdrawal. A decision that appears as an option, but has not yet been made.