Injuries have repeatedly kept the Belgian from making his debut against FC Barcelona, dampening any hopes of a long-awaited first Clasico appearance.
Eden Hazard joined Real Madrid in the 2019-2020 season, and since then ten Clasicos have come to pass. The astonishing fact is that the Belgian has not played in a single one of them.
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The first Clasico he could miss after joining Madrid was due to a muscle injury in his right leg
Early in September, shortly after his arrival, the Real Madrid medical team diagnosed a muscle issue in Hazard’s right leg. A few days later, coach Zinedine Zidane stated at a press conference that the injury was more serious than expected, ruling him out of the December 18, 2019 clash in Barcelona, which finished 0-0.
A tear in the fibula marked the second absence
By March 2020 Hazard was again unavailable for Zidane as Madrid prepared to face the same opponent, a match Madrid eventually won 2-0. A tear in the distal portion of the right fibula sidelined the international for nearly three months.
The setback kept him out of crucial moments as Belgium watched from afar, a reminder of how fragile the line between club duty and recovery can be for a player returning from injury.
The third absence
The first round of the 2020-2021 campaign opened at Camp Nou, and Hazard, then with Chelsea connections still lingering in memory, suffered a small cut on his foot days before the game, forcing him to stay on the sidelines for more than two months. It was a significant blow for Zidane and Real Madrid, who needed every available option against their archrivals.
The psoas recovery sidelines him again in a fourth Clasico
There were hopes that he would finally take the field in this edition, but the psoas recovery kept him out of the lineup. The fitness issue prevented Hazard from fulfilling what would have been his long-awaited Madrid debut in a Clasico.
Three Clasicos without playing
Hazard was cleared for the three Clasicos in the 2021-2022 season, including league matches and the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals, yet he did not step onto the pitch in any of them, nor did he start or appear as a substitute. The lingering injuries created a barrier between the player and the iconic meetings with Barcelona.
The narrative around Hazard became a running thread for Madrid fans, a mix of sympathy and frustration as a talent with potential repeatedly faced setbacks that prevented him from contributing in these high-stakes clashes.
What might the future hold for the 2022-2023 season?
By the time four matches had passed across La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup, and the Copa del Rey semi-final, Hazard remained unavailable for selection in the Clasico, though he was listed as available on the bench for several encounters. The pattern underscored a persistent theme: fitness would determine whether this profile of a footballer could finally translate talent into impact in Madrid’s historic rivalry.
Attribution: Goal