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Chelsea played no part in the UEFA Champions League final in Paris on Saturday night but are set to benefit from Real Madrid's win over Liverpool.
The Blues will receive massive bonuses because of a clause in Eden Hazard's contract if he wins the European cup. The Belgian was an unused substitute at the Stade de France, playing only 83 minutes of their Champions League campaign, making three appearances.
Yet, the 31-year-old received a winners' medal, so his former club will benefit monetarily from his triumph. According to The Athletic reporter Simon Johnson, the Champions League victory triggered an add-on in Hazard's contract when he first signed from the west London side in 2019.
That means Chelsea will receive a huge fee, touted to be somewhere around £20 million.
Hazard's transfer has also earned the side a whopping €100 million, but the Belgian hasn't been able to recapture his best form with Real Madrid. Injuries have riddled his time in the Spanish capital, limiting him to only 66 appearances and six goals across competitions as the 31-year-old has struggled to nail down a starting place.
Hazard has been linked with an exit this summer, with a possible return to Chelsea also touted, but any deal to bring him back to Stamford Bridge would be complicated.
His Real Madrid contract runs till June 2024, and the Premier League side, now under new ownership, will also have to pay his exceptionally high wages unless the player is willing to take a pay-cut.
It will be interesting to see if Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti keeps Hazard for the 2022-23 season or lets him seek greener pastures.
Real Madrid extend Champions League record to 14 titles
The Galacticos are the most successful team in Champions League history and extended their lead over the chasing pack with a record-extending 14th title on Saturday.
The last decade has been all about them, as Los Blancos won five of the last nine titles, including a historic 'three peat' between 2016 and 2018. Los Blancos have the competition's DNA, and, following a small blip in the last few years, have successfully restored themselves at the pinnacle of European football once again.
