Real Madrid head into Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Club Brugge in the knowledge that whilst their domestic form has improved, they absolutely need a victory to get their continental campaign back on track, and Zinedine Zidane has backed Eden Hazard to perform and be a success in Spain.
After injury problems and weight concerns have plagued the start of his career at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Hazard needs to find a performance in order to capture the imagination of the Madrid fans, and Tuesday would be a perfect opportunity with Club Brugge’s defence hardly resolute.
“I know [Hazard] is going to succeed here,” Zidane confirmed in his pre-match press conference.
“I’m not going to give him any advice on how to play; he knows what we want from him and we know the player he is. We all have to remain calm, I’m not worried at all.
“He needs more time, we have to be calm with the players who have just arrived.”
Parallels have been drawn between Hazard’s start to life with Los Blancos and the early stages of Zidane’s own playing career for Los Merengues, and this is something the French coach has recognised.
“The same thing happened to me, yes,” he admitted.
“This is why I’m very calm, I knew things would work out for me in time and it’s the same with Hazard.
“He’s going to be fine and fans have to back him.”