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#4 Eden Hazard-Karim Benzema combination needs work
Unless you've not had Internet access in recent days, you'll know all about Eden Hazard and how the €100m signing has returned from his holidays both overweight and out of shape, opposite to what you'd expect of a player who just sealed his dream move after all.
Given his build and 5ft 9in frame, Hazard has never been particularly slim but it'll be interesting to see how the club and media respond to his arrival in the coming months. For context, Real's La Liga season starts on August 17 against Celta Vigo, so these weight issues are not as dramatic as they seem.
However, integrating a new Galactico does take time and after this performance, it's clear he has yet to strike the right balance in his combination play alongside Karim Benzema. Benzema quietly enjoyed an impressive campaign last term, finally free of the Cristiano Ronaldo shackles. He now has a quality addition in Hazard who will create chances aplenty in the final third.
Where exactly his best position is in Zidane's system though, remains to be seen. Deployed through the middle in a 4-2-3-1 formation here, Hazard's best work is usually on the wings, but as a number ten, he's more likely to see the ball more frequently to create those opportunities facing goal. Trying too hard to go it alone and his weight of pass was disappointing, among other teething problems at play.
Vinícius Júnior and fellow new acquisition Rodrygo are both left-sided wingers, so it's hard to envisage Hazard regularly playing there - namely given Vinícius' progression in 18/19 despite only being 19-years-old. Both Brazilians are right-footed and play on the left, but given the financial outlay spent to sign Hazard, Real need to build their team around him.
Doing that immediately doesn't seem likely given injuries elsewhere in the squad and a settling-in period, though Benzema has shown he's capable of link-up play in the same way Hazard benefited alongside Olivier Giroud at Chelsea.
