Is crocked Eden unlucky or just unprofessional?

EDEN HAZARD is injured again. Real Madrid’s doctors have detected a hairline fracture in his right fibula and he could now be out until April. Certainly, he will not face Manchester City in the Champions League tomorrow. Hazard, of course, reported back for pre-season five kilogrammes overweight. Despite making a £100million move from Chelsea, he had piled it on during the break. ‘If I’m on holiday, then I’m on holiday,’ he blithely announced. Perhaps as a result of this he was sluggish when the season began and has scored a single goal for Real Madrid so far, against mid-table Granada. An ankle injury kept him out between November 26 and February 16. He has been back for two matches and is injured again. It might be simple misfortune, or what happens when a player is ill-disciplined and his pre-season is spent dieting rather than conditioning. Perhaps one of the reasons Cristiano Ronaldo has such a fabulous fitness record is that when he’s on holiday he remains an athlete. Real Madrid would be within their rights to expect the same level of commitment and professionalism from his replacement.