By Oyinlola Awonuga Balogun (The New Diplomat’s Entertainment, Fashion and Sports Desk)
Belgian star Eden Hazard will miss Real Madrid’s Champions League clash against Atalanta after he was ruled out with a thigh injury – the ninth setback he has suffered since joining the Laliga giants.
Madrid confirmed Hazard’s latest injury in a statement on their website on Wednesday.
Hazard has only just returned to fitness and action at the end of December, but is now set to miss the next four to six weeks.
It means the 30-year-old is now likely to sit out the first leg of Madrid’s Champions League last-16 clash with Atalanta towards the end of February.
Hopes had been high that Hazard would be able to play a key role in the remainder of the season after appearing in each of their last five league matches.
There was hope that he may even be able to complete a full 90 minutes – something the winger has not been able to do since November 23, 2019.
He has played just 22 times since then, such has his time at the Bernabeu been plagued by injuries.
Hazard joined Madrid in the summer of 2019 for £106m, but has failed to regularly establish himself in the team.
Alongside injuries, he has also been accused of failing to look after himself, with fitness issues over his weight also a concern.
He has made just 35 appearances for the club, scoring four goals and providing seven assists.
