Eden Hazard must deliver for Real Madrid now, says ex-defender Fernando Sanz

Real Madrid`s Eden Hazard. Pic/AFP

Former Real Madrid defender and UEFA Champions League winner, Fernando Sanz has stressed that struggling star player Eden Hazard must improve his performance or face exit at the end of the season.

Real travel to Barcelona for the first El Clasico of the season on Sunday. The clash might see the Belgian make his debut in the Clasico more than two years after his move from Chelsea in 2019.

Fernando Sanz

Hazard's career at Madrid (five goals in 51 matches) has been marred with injuries. He suffered an ankle injury a few months after donning the Real jersey. He was then out for most of the 2020-21 season with muscle injuries.

The Spanish League winner (1996-97) with Los Blancos said it's time Hazard, 30, lives up to expectations of playing for Real.

"When Eden Hazard signed for Real Madrid, everyone had a lot of expectations from him as he was the best football player in the world. But when he arrived, he was not in best physical condition due to which he suffered a lot of injuries," Sanz, 47, told mid-day.com.

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"At Real Madrid, if you don't achieve your targets, everyone becomes very nervous. In three years at Real, Hazard's situation has been very complicated as he hasn't been able to give everything to the club as expected. Everyone in Real are waiting for Hazard to return to his best. And it is for sure that if he doesn't deliver as per expectations, he could leave the club by the end of the season," added Sanz, who is also the director of the ambassadors project, La Liga.

Real have already shown interest in World Cup-winning PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe and Sanz, who made 35 appearances (1996-1999) for the 13-time UEFA Champions League winner, felt signing the Frenchman is crucial for both the club and La Liga.

"Mbappe will be free in January so he can join Real Madrid or any other club he wants. Hopefully, he will join Real as they are pushing a lot for him. It's important for the club as well as for La Liga to have such a star player," Sanz explained.

The star factor will be missing from the El Clasico as the two clubs face off for the first time without superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

The Argentine left Barcelona and signed a two-year contract with French club PSG in August and Sanz said the Catalan giants are yet to recover from the blow.

"Barcelona are missing Messi since the beginning of the season. Their recent performances are a clear indication that they are not at their best without Messi. And without him in the line-up, it will be tough for them [against Real Madrid]. So it's more complicated for Barcelona now that he won't be there," he remarked.

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