Eden Hazard “hasn’t got started” at Real Madrid and is unlikely to rediscover his spark in 2020-21, claims former Blancos goalkeeper Mariano Garcia Remon.
Big things were expected of the Belgium international playmaker when he arrived at Santiago Bernabeu.
The Liga giants, famed for their elaborate spending on supposed ‘Galacticos’, invested €100 million (£88m/$112m) worth of faith in Hazard when snapping him up from Chelsea.
The 29-year-old was supposed to help fill the void created by Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure to Juventus in 2018, but he has never come close to hitting those heights.
Injury struggles have become a theme for Hazard , who is spending another spell on the sidelines.
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Inability to establish momentum and consistency have left a man who starred at Stamford Bridge stuck on one goal in 22 largely forgettable appearances.
The hope is that Hazard can get back to his best in the current campaign once at full fitness, but Remon doubts that the Belgian will become the player that Real considered him to be.
A man who helped Madrid to six La Liga titles in his playing days told Radio Marca : “Hazard is Real Madrid's big signing and we all expected [good performances] from him.
“He hasn't got started nor has he had continuity due to injuries and I think that's affected him. The way he's started this year, it will be similar to last year.”
Zinedine Zidane had declared that Hazard was “very close” to coming back into contention heading into a meeting with Real Valladolid on Wednesday. Another setback has been suffered, though, with Real now unsure how long a big-money asset will be out of action for.
"I can't tell you how long it'll be. He picked up a bit of a knock in training before the game," Zidane told a news conference. "It looked like a muscle spasm but in the end it turned out to be a bit more than that. It's something muscular. It's nothing to do with the injury he's had and these things happen.
"He's been out for a long time. I don't think this one will be long but I can't tell you exactly.”