It looks set to be a case of third time lucky for Real Madrid with Eden Hazard, as the Belgian forward has returned for pre-season in good shape.
Hazard is yet to train with his teammates since coming back to the Spanish capital, having picked up a knock at the end of June that was expected to keep him out for four weeks.
Rather than rush him back, Real Madrid are preferring to opt on the side of caution after two injury-hit campaigns for the 30-year-old.
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Hazard is feeling positive ahead of his third season with Los Blancos, while he has clearly taken care of himself this summer when it comes to his weight.
Real Madrid feel like this is the least that the Belgium star should do, given the way that the last two seasons have played out, although he still has a long way to go if he is to become a fans’ favourite, as was hoped upon his arrival from Chelsea in the summer of 2019.
Hazard may miss first game of the season
The new LaLiga Santander season is fast approaching and it seems unlikely at the moment that Hazard will be able to feature in the opening fixture against Alaves on August 14.
These next 10 days or so will see the forward go through a training programme, led by Antonio Pintus, which will try and get him into good shape after his knock, but the Alaves game might come too soon for him.
There is the sense that this is a different Hazard that has returned for pre-season this time around, as he is doing the work the fitness coaches have set him and appears to be in a better mental space.
Pintus understands that if he can get Hazard firing on all cylinders from a physical point of view, it will be like he is giving Carlo Ancelotti a new signing, with the Italian coach optimistic that he can get the No.7 to replicate his Chelsea performances in a Real Madrid shirt. [Marca]
