Chelsea midfielder Saul Niguez has defended Eden Hazard by offering a theory as to why he has struggled since joining Spanish giants Real Madrid.
The 31-year-old Belgian failed to hit the ground running following his reported £88 million move from Premier League side Chelsea in the summer of 2019.
In total, Hazard has recorded just six goals and 10 assists in 61 appearances for Los Blancos. In fact, the former Lille winger has netted just once in 18 games during the 2021/22 campaign.
He has, to be fair, been sidelined with multiple injury problems since joining but his overall output continues to be a source of frustration for fans.
Hazard's struggles, meanwhile, have not come as a surprise to former Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez.
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When asked about the differences between La Liga and the Premier League during an interview with Chelsea's official website, the Spaniard brought up Hazard as an example.
"They are totally different," Niguez said. "Over there, it’s much more tactical, whereas here it’s more physical and a bit crazier. There’s more back and forth, it’s less about having control of the game and more about entertaining the fans.
"You can do things here that you really can’t do in La Liga," he added.
"For example, I was talking to my friends the other day about Eden Hazard. When he was here, he was easily one of the best players in the world and then he goes to La Liga and has his own difficulties because it’s a totally different game.
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"Here he had more one-vs-ones and two-vs-ones but in La Liga, because everyone knows how good his team is and how good he is, other teams make it much more difficult for him.
"Here it’s happening a bit in reverse, although I think it’s a bit easier to adapt from La Liga to the Premier League than from the Premier League to La Liga."
Hazard has been linked with a move away from the Bernabeu in recent weeks. Last month, he reportedly turned down the chance to join Newcastle after Madrid accepted a bid from the Premier League club.
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According to Nacional, Eddie Howe's side tabled a £33 million offer and another £8.3 million in ‘variables’ to secure the deal.
The Spanish newspaper claimed the Premier League club’s offer ‘met the expectations’ of Madrid president Florentino Perez but Hazard scuppered the transfer by saying no.
Thoughts on Hazard's time in Madrid?
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Let us know in the comments.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Premier League, Eden Hazard, Chelsea, Transfers
