Real Madrid star suffers huge injury blow ahead of El Clasico

Belgium star Eden Hazard will miss El Clasico after tests revealed his ankle injury to be worse than originally feared.

The former Chelsea midfielder injured his right ankle against Paris Saint-Germain but Real Madrid had expected him to return for the visit to Barcelona on December 18.

But, after further tests revealed complications, he looks set for a longer spell on the sidelines.
Zidane has three options of how to cover the Belgian’s absence. He can play 18-year-old Rodrygo Goes, Gareth Bale, or play only two forwards and bring Isco into midfield.

Zidane had said after the injury: ‘Hopefully it will be okay with just three days’ rest. We will see. I hope it’s not a bad twist.’

Hazard has had previous ankle problems. He broke his right ankle playing for Belgium in 2017 and is understood to have had a titanium plate inserted.

Adding to Zidane’s problems, Marcelo has a left calf problem and is also almost certain to miss the game against Barcelona. Madrid play Espanyol this weekend and then go to Valencia before their trip to the Nou Camp. They also have key midfielder Casemiro one booking from a suspension.

Thomas Meunier said that he had tried and failed to get hold of Hazard to apologise for hurting him after their Champions League clash, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Speaking to French outlet La Derniere Heure, Meunier, who is Hazard’s Belgium team-mate, said: ‘I am honestly sad. I tried to contact him directly after the match, but I couldn’t reach him.

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‘Aside from that, I saw two or three of his team-mates who said that he had taken quite a hit. I cross my fingers that it is not too bad.

‘If there is one player who I really don’t want to injure, it’s Eden.’