Eden Hazard Spills on Real Madrid Struggles | OneFootball

Eden Hazard’s Real Madrid Conundrum: A Tale of High Expectations and Hard Realities

Hazard’s Candid Revelation

In a recent eye-opening interview with L’Equipe, Eden Hazard, the Belgian football maestro, laid bare the challenges he faced upon his high-profile transfer to Real Madrid. The candid confessions from Hazard himself throw light on the often-unseen struggles of top-tier athletes.

The Pressure of a Big Move

Eden Hazard’s move to Real Madrid in 2019 was nothing short of a football fairytale. A whopping €100m transfer set the stage for what many expected to be a series of legendary performances. However, as Hazard reveals, the shift came with its own set of challenges, both mental and physical. “I said to myself, ‘Now that I’m at Real Madrid, this is perhaps the last vacation I’ll be able to take…’ And I let go of myself like I let go of myself every summer,” Hazard shares, highlighting the psychological aspect of such a high-stakes transfer.

Holiday Habits and Professional Setbacks

Hazard’s admission of his holiday indulgences – “barbecues, rosé wine…all that” – is brutally honest. His routine of unwinding in the off-season, honed over seven rigorous years at Chelsea, collided with the expectations at Madrid. “Seven years in England, without a break at Christmas, giving everything, so when I have three or four weeks of vacation…’Don’t bother me’…”, he explains. This approach, while understandable, perhaps set the stage for the difficulties that lay ahead in Spain.

The Struggle with Form and Fitness

Post his transfer, Hazard’s form and fitness became a talking point. Criticised for being overweight at pre-season, his time at Madrid was marred by injuries and a stark contrast to his Chelsea days, where he appeared 352 times in seven years. In Madrid, it was a mere 76 appearances over four seasons. The physical toll of professional football, combined with the psychological strain of a high-profile move, was evident in Hazard’s journey.

Addressing the Criticism

Despite the setbacks, Hazard’s response to the criticism is one of a seasoned professional. Acknowledging the rough patches, he also sheds light on the relentless effort behind his career. “They say I was a slacker. But I haven’t spent 16 years [as a professional] without training,” he states, countering the narrative of laziness that some fans and media had constructed.