Eden Hazard has not been included in Real Madrid’s squad to face Barcelona in El Clasico this weekend.
The Belgian forward’s career has been plagued by injuries since moving to Real in 2019. Despite being a regular in the Chelsea starting XI during his seven-year stay in the Premier League, he’s mustered just 25 La Liga appearances in nearly two seasons in Spain.
After over a month on the sidelines with a muscle injury, Hazard made his Los Blancos comeback with a 15-minute cameo appearance from the bench in the 2-1 win over Elche last month, yet the brief run out saw him pick up another injury and he subsequently missed the second leg of Real’s Champions League last 16 clash with Atalanta.
Having already undergone two bouts of surgery recently, the Belgium international was rumoured to be facing a third operation in a bid to ease the pain.
However, the club received a boost after it was revealed he wouldn’t need to undergo yet another operation and was pictured training with his teammates prior to their Champions League quarter-final first-leg match with Liverpool.
There was initial hope he could be available to face the Reds, yet having been unable to prove his fitness in time for the clash he was expected to return for the visit of Barcelona on Saturday – but that also isn’t going to happen.
The club took to their official website to confirm the 19-man squad to face their La Liga rivals on Saturday, with Hazard the most notable absentee for what could prove to be a crucial clash in the race for the Spanish title.
Real trail Barcelona by just two points – with table toppers Atletico Madrid just a further point ahead – and while this weekend’s titanic clash could have a huge bearing on which team is crowned Spanish champions, Real will be forced to be without their Belgian star.