'Eden Hazard stays' - Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti confirms Belgian will remain at Bernabeu
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Updated 14/05/2022 at 12:35 GMT
"He remains motivated even though he has had a difficult time. He wants to show his quality. The plan for Hazard is clear, he stays" - Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that he plans on keeping former Chelsea man Eden Hazard at the Bernabeu despite the winger managing just 65 appearances in three seasons with the club as he continues to battle through injury.
Eden Hazard
Image credit: Getty Images
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Eden Hazard will remain at the club next season.
Hazard has endured a torrid three years at Madrid, a spell plagued by injuries in which he has managed just 65 appearances and six goals in all competitions.
After a big money move from Chelsea in 2019, expectations were on Hazard to lead Madrid in the post-Cristiano Ronaldo era.
But his place on the wing has been taken by youngster Vinicius Jr, while Rodrygo has also outperformed the Belgian and looks to be above him in the pecking order.
Yet Ancelotti is convinced of Hazard's quality, and says he will stay amid rumours linking him to a move back to Stamford Bridge.
'I have not spoken to Hazard about his future," he said. "But he remains motivated even though he has had a difficult time. He wants to show his quality. The plan for Hazard is clear, he stays."
Ancelotti also emphasised the importance of a deep squad at Madrid and encouraged everyone to produce 'quality minutes' rather than worry about game time, using Rodrygo as an example.
"For a squad like Madrid's there are many matches," he added. "There will be rotations. With a more complete squad you can rotate more and everyone has chances.
"The first-team in a big team like Madrid is very complicated for everyone, not only for those who play less.
"The number of minutes is not important, it is the quality of the minutes. We have Rodrygo, for example. He has not played many minutes but they have been quality."
Ancelotti - who managed Madrid between 2013 and 2015 and is a familiar face at the Bernabeu - admitted he has also been surprised by the players he knew less.
"No one has disappointed. Everyone has done their job. The one who have surprised me are the ones I knew less - Rodrygo, Ernesto Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga. Rodrygo because he has this talent, he has been so confident in front of goal.
Indeed, it was Rodrygo who scored two late goals to help Real past Manchester City in the Champions League final in dramatic fashion.
They will play Liverpool in the final on May 28, and Ancelotti had a few words of praise for Reds forward Mohammed Salah.
"It's not easy to find a right or left winger like him in the transfer market. In his position, he is the best in the world," he said.
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