Hazard suffers right ankle fracture
madrid — Eden Hazard’s season could be at risk after Real Madrid announced Sunday that he had fractured his right ankle during his team’s 1-0 La Liga loss at Levante.
Belgium forward Hazard, whose first season at Real has been plagued by injury, will now miss Wednesday’s Champions League last 16 clash with Manchester City and the Clasico with league leaders Barcelona next weekend.
He has made just 10 La Liga appearances this season after arriving from Chelsea for 100 million euros ($109 million), scoring once and adding one assist.
Madrid did not announce a recovery time for Hazard but his latest setback will be a worry for Belgium boss Roberto Martinez ahead of Euro 2020 this summer.
On Saturday, Madrid coach Zinedine admitted that the 29-yearold’s injury “doesn’t look good” ahead of those two huge matches, which could define his side’s season. Hazard was pictured with an ice pack around the same right foot he broke in November after being substituted in the second half of Saturday’s loss, which handed a two-point La Liga lead to Barca ahead of next week’s Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Before facing Celta, they had won their last five league games in a row. “We have dropped five points in two games but it is what it is,” added Zidane.
“We had a very good first half but we couldn’t find a goal and then they score with their first chance and that hit us hard. It’s football and it’s really tough but I don’t think we deserved this,” Zidane said. —
We had a very good first half but we couldn’t find a goal and then they score with their first chance and that hit us hard Zinedine Zidane
Real Madrid coach