It was at Ciutat de Valencia that the Belgian suffered one of his most serious setbacks, and he won’t be at the optimal level on his return.
Eden Hazard is “not at full fitness yet”, admits Carlo Ancelotti ahead of Real Madrid’s La Liga meeting with Levante on Sunday.
Form and fitness issues, the latter particularly, have been a stumbling block for Hazard throughout his short stay so far at Real Madrid.
Ever since arriving at the Spanish capital on a €100 million move back in 2019, the former Chelsea man has spent a whopping 487 days on the sidelines and missed a total of 59 club games, according to Transfermarkt.
The 30-year-old, however, put in a good shift in Los Blancos’ La Liga opener last week, providing an assist in the 4-1 win over Alaves.
He has been included in the matchday squad to face Levante and while whether the attacker will start is a doubt, he will most likely make come off the bench.
“I think Hazard has done well. He’s not at full fitness yet, but he’s close,” Ancelotti stated during his pre-match press conference.
“He’s worked extremely hard in every training session. I don’t think he’s a player who’s afraid to go into a tackle, but someone who wants to show his quality.”
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