Eden Hazard has revealed he is struggling to cope with the weight of expectation at Real Madrid after taking on the club's number seven jersey, previously worn by Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Belgian superstar arrived from Chelsea in the summer, joining for a fee that could reach as high as £130m. However, the winger has failed to live up to the price-tag in the opening months of his Los Blancos career, leading to criticism from the Real fan base, as well as questions over his mindset.
In his seven games for Madrid in all competitions, Hazard has scored just one goal, having been made to wait until September to make his debut for the La Liga giants due to a hamstring injury he picked up over the off-season.
Speaking to the Real Madrid TV about taking on Ronaldo's squad number, the 28-year-old said (as quoted by Marca): "Taking this shirt after Cristiano isn't easy, he's historic."
Though he admitted he had been slightly struggling on a personal level in Spain, Hazard remained upbeat about his team's chances of winning silverware this term, explaining: "We're going to give our all to win everything, we have to lift a trophy.
"I know the Champions League is important. I'm here to win it, it's important for everyone and myself included. I'm at the best club in the world and I hope to give my best."
Real are currently sixth in the league standings, despite sitting top of the pile less than a fortnight ago. Their 1-0 loss at Mallorca allowed several teams to leapfrog Zinedine Zidane's men, although they remain within two points of top spot, currently occupied by high-flying Granada.
Inconsistent performances have hampered Madrid in the early stages of 2019/20, with their head coach reportedly on the brink of getting the sack.
It was understood that the Frenchman would have been relieved of his duties had his side lost at Galatasaray in their latest Champions League group game, a match they won 1-0 thanks to Toni Kroos' first-half effort.
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Source :
90min
