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Having proved himself one of the Premier League’s best players of the past decade, Eden Hazard made the move to Spanish giants Real Madrid in the summer of 2019. Year upon year at Chelsea, under six different managers, teams were built to get the most from him – but he had a slow start in Spain, as he adapted to playing in not only a new system, but one in which he was no longer the main figure. Two separate bone breaks – one in his foot and another in his leg shortly after returning to action – appeared as though they might derail his entire first season at Real.
After 2019/20 was disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, Hazard, back from his two serious injuries, was given a third chance to end his debut campaign on a positive note. More fitness concerns surfaced at the start of his second season, but he played something far closer to the crucial role he was signed for in the run-in to 2019/20 as Real won La Liga for only the second time since 2012. “We have to be calm with Eden,” said Real’s manager Zinedine Zidane. “He’s been off the pitch for a long time and you have to go easy on him. He’s had a few problems, but he will be fine again soon.”