EDEN HAZARD has been ruled out of playing in the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia on January 8 after a minor set-back in his return from injury.
The 28-year-old Belgian star injured his right ankle last month, with the Super Cup originally being the target for him to make his return.
Hazard was forced off in the 2-2 draw with PSG in NovemberCredit: Getty – Contributor
This will no longer be the case with Madrid chiefs making it clear that they do not want to take any risks with Hazard.
The new target for his return is late January or early February, with the focus firmly being La Liga and the Champions League, not the Super Cup.
Real Madrid are due to fly to Saudi Arabia next week, but Hazard is yet to make a return to the training field.
The 13-time Champions League winners face Valencia in the Super Cup semi-final on January 8, with the winner playing either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid, who play in the other semi final.
The final takes place on January 12.
The Spanish Super Cup is contested by the winners and runners up of La Liga, and the winners and runners up of the Copa del Ray.
After a slow start to life in Madrid Hazard has become a key player recently, and Los Blancos are missing his creativity, scoring just eight goals in the six games since his injury.
Before he was injured they had scored 20 in the previous six.
Hazard has a goal and four assists in 13 games for Real MadridCredit: AP:Associated Press
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane will be hoping that Hazard will be back fit for the mouth-watering Champions League clash with Manchester City on February 26.
The French manager agreed a return to the Bernabeu in March, just ten months after he left the Madrid giants.
He replaced former boss Santiago Solari, who was sacked by Real president Florentino Perez after less than five months in charge.
Eden’s younger brother Thorgan is trying to make his name in the BundesligaCredit: EPA
It was reported yesterday that Hazard snubbed a move to Bayern Munich in the summer so his younger brother would not be overshadowed.
Thorgan Hazard was playing for Borussia Monchengladbach at the time, but he sealed his own big-money move to Borussia Dortmund this summer.
The 26-year-old is also a former Chelsea player, but he left the Blues after failing to make a single senior appearance.
He has endured a mixed first half of the season at Dortmund, with four goals and eight assists in 23 games.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
