Former Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard reflects on the move that defined his career and explains why joining the Spanish giants was always his ultimate goal.
Speaking on Julien Cazarre’s RMC (h/t Mundo Deportivo) show about his departure from Chelsea in 2019, Hazard admitted that the idea of wearing a white shirt had been on his mind for some time.
advertise
“Signing for Real Madrid was my dream. Even before my last season at Chelsea I wanted to leave.
“I said I would stay, but if Real Madrid come calling, I will leave.” He remembers.
Unveiled at Bernabeu
His opening match at the Santiago Bernabeu remains one of the most memorable speeches of recent years.
A near-capacity crowd welcomed him, a scene that Hazard still recalls with emotion.
“I felt like a child during my speech at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium,” he recalled “Before coming to Real Madrid, I heard a lot of warnings about the difficulty of the dressing room and dealing with players and things like that.
“But the reality is completely different. Everyone from Zidane to the coaching staff to the players has been given a warm welcome.
“I felt very comfortable from the first day at Real Madrid. Ramos, Modric and Kroos welcomed me. Everyone was great and everything went smoothly.”
Not a replacement for Ronaldo
Hazard’s Real Madrid career has been hampered by injuries. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
advertise
At that time, many fans regarded him as Ronaldo’s successor. However, Azar never saw it that way.
“I’m not here to replace Cristiano Ronaldo. He scores a lot of goals in every game.
“Sometimes I don’t even score. I’m here to be Hazard and enjoy myself,” he added.
Unfortunately, injuries quickly derailed his plans. Thomas Meunier’s serious challenge proved decisive.
“Thomas Meunier hit me with unforgettable power. It was very difficult for me and it slowed me down.” Azar said he then had a recurrence of the condition in the same area – his ankle. “That’s when the problems started.”
Reject Paris Saint-Germain
Hazard also spoke about Paris Saint-Germain’s interest, confirming he has turned down their offers on multiple occasions. “Every year I am in contact with PSG.
advertise
“With Nasser (Al-Khelaifi) coming, there is a lot of money and there is always a team that can play in the Champions League.
“Since everything is going well at Chelsea, my dream afterwards is to go to Real Madrid and not PSG,” he pointed out.