Eden Hazard is set to miss Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final clash with Chelsea as he prepares to have surgery on his leg.
Hazard, who signed for Real Madrid from Chelsea in 2019, will have a plate removed in his right leg, which was implanted after the Belgian broke his ankle in 2020.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid travel to Stamford Bridge for the first leg of their quarter-final tie on April 6, with Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea visiting the Bernabeu one week later.
A statement from Real Madrid read: ‘In the coming days, our player, Eden Hazard, will undergo surgery to remove the osteosynthesis plate in his right fibula.’
Hazard has largely struggled in Spain since leaving Chelsea in the summer of 2019 for a fee of more than £100million.
The Belgium international has scored just six goals across three seasons at Real Madrid and has not started a game since mid-January due to issues with injury and form.
Hazard emerged as one of the best players in England during his spell at Chelsea, scoring more than 100 goals for the Blues and helping the London side win two domestic titles, two Europa Leagues, the FA Cup and EFL Cup.
Chelsea booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a routine last-16 win over Lille, while Real Madrid came from behind to stun PSG and advance in the competition.
The Blues defeated Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League last campaign and former England midfielder Joe Cole expects a similar outcome next month.
‘Chelsea will be quite happy with that,’ Cole told BT Sport after the quarter-final draw was made. ‘They were comfortable against Madrid in the semi-final last year and not much has changed with the sides.
‘I think all the English clubs will be happy to avoid each other. It could have been better for Chelsea, of course, but it could have been worse too.
‘Last year, Real Madrid they looked like an ageing team against a young, vibrant Chelsea team. A year has past and not much has changed.
‘I know Carlo Ancelotti has come in and they have quality, they’re Real Madrid, they will always be a threat. But I think Chelsea will be reasonably happy with that.’
