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When Eden Hazard signed for Real Madrid in the summer of 2019, it was considered a dream move for a player who for long had had the vision of playing in the famous white shirt.
The benefit was mutual though. Hazard was a player who had been coveted by Zinedine Zidane, and he was regarded as the key piece of the major rebuilding job that was needed after a terrible season for Madrid in 2018-19.
Hazard earned his move to the biggest club in world football after an outstanding seven-year spell at Chelsea which saw him play over 350 matches for the London club, scoring 110 goals. He won two Premier League titles, two Europa League crowns, an FA Cup and a League Cup in the blue shirt.
He also won a plethora of individual awards, including being voted Chelsea player of the year on four occasions.
Hazard has also excelled at international level for Belgium, with over 100 games and 32 goals. He was undoubtedly one of the best players in the world at the time of his move to Madrid. It was not just a quest for team honors, but also an important step in his quest to win the Ballon d'Or for the first time.
But after all the hype, Hazard's move has rapidly turned into a disaster. Things didn't get off to a great start when he was rumored to have returned to pre-season training overweight. Then a thigh injury before the start of the season delayed his competitive debut until the middle of September.
He would score his first league goal for the club against Granada in his home debut, and seemed to be finding something close to his best form. But an injury sustained against PSG in the Champions League would rule him out for 16 games, forcing him to miss Madrid's Spanish Super Cup victory.
He would return in February, but has now suffered a broken ankle which has ruled him out for the foreseeable future. At time of writing, he has played just 15 games - scoring a solitary goal.
With Madrid now trailing Barcelona in LaLiga and facing a tricky tie against Manchester City in the Champions League, Hazard's dream move to Real seems to have turned into a nightmare. The Belgian would be desperately hoping that his arrival doesn't coincide with a second year in succession for Madrid without a major trophy.
