Hazard's fitness woes continue after latest injury setback

Eden Hazard is ruled out of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Atalanta following the Real Madrid attacker’s latest injury.

The 30-year-old “has been diagnosed with a muscle injury in the right psoas,” his club confirmed Monday after he was brought on in the 75th minute of Saturday’s 2-1 La Liga win over Elche.

His weekend cameo marked his first appearance since playing an hour of January’s home defeat to Levante. Hazard has suffered numerous setbacks following his 2019 transfer from Chelsea, including ankle injuries, problems with his hamstring and thigh, and a positive COVID-19 test.

“He is a player who has never been injured or little in his career, and this is a new situation for him. We are with him, and we want him to be well,” Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane said during Monday’s press conference, according to The Athletic.

Hazard missed just eight matches through injury during his seven years at Chelsea, The Athletic reports.

“We are trying to find out what is happening with the injured players, there are things that happen in football,” Zidane said about Real Madrid’s spate of injuries in the 2020-21 season. “We have spoken about the preseason, about the number of games, and things up here in the head as well, which influences a lot.”

Real Madrid welcome Atalanta to the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on Tuesday with a 1-0 advantage from their first leg.

Zidane’s side could restore some Spanish pride after Barcelona and Sevilla were already eliminated from the Champions League. Atletico Madrid have to overturn a one-goal deficit in their second leg against Chelsea on Wednesday.