Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has questioned Real Madrid’s role in Eden Hazard’s difficulties to settle in Spain.
Hazard secured a dream transfer move to Madrid from Chelsea in June last year for a reported fee of €100m.
After questions were raised over his fitness in pre-season, Hazard has struggled to live up to expectation, with a string of injuries not helping his cause.
Currently recovering from an injury, the Belgian has one goal and four assists to show from his first 13 matches for his new side.
Having seen Hazard up close in England, Guardiola believes the player’s quality can’t be questioned and any poor form is down to Real Madrid.
“If he’s not playing well, something’s going on at Madrid because he is really good,” Guardiola said on Post United in an interview with YouTuber ‘DjMaRiiO’.
“Not a top player, another level above. What we saw in England… he is world class. But the whole world knows that you need a period of adaptation.”
Hazard was in line to play his first game of 2020 on Thursday when Real Madrid tackle Real Sociedad in their Copa del Rey quarter-final but he has failed to make the squad.
“We are happy to have Eden Hazard. He had a bad injury and as time has gone he has got better,” Zidane said on Wednesday.
“We are happy to have a player like Eden and we will try to make the most of him during the many years he will be with us. The Madridistas are very happy too.”
