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What's the story?
Former Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes feels although Eden Hazard is one of the best players in the world, the Belgian or no one else can fill the void created by Cristiano Ronaldo's departure.
In case you didn't know...
Ronaldo made a shock move to join Juventus last summer after winning three consecutive Champions League titles with Real Madrid. The Portuguese talisman racked up 450 goals in his nine-year tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu and became the greatest goalscorer in Los Blancos' rich history. Ronaldo has won five Ballon d'Ors in his glittering career, four of which came during his time at Real Madrid.
Ronaldo, who has enjoyed immense success for over a decade, took the Serie A by storm in his first season in Italy. Owing to his exploits, the Portuguese won the Serie A's Most Valuable Player of the Year award and helped Juventus to another league title. Ronaldo also scored all of the Old Lady's knockout stage goals in the Champions League, but Juventus were eliminated by Ajax in the quarter-final stage of the tournament.
On the other hand, Hazard made his dream move to Real Madrid earlier in June after months of speculation. The Belgian joined Los Blancos after helping Chelsea win the Europa League in his last game for the Blues. He also helped Chelsea to secure a top four spot in the Premier League.
The heart of the matter
Morientes provided his views on Hazard's arrival, with the former striker stating that the Belgian's signing won't help Real Madrid to cover Ronaldo's absence.
Speaking in an interview with Spanish international news agency EFE, Morientes said:
"Nobody can fill Ronaldo's shoes. There is nobody like Ronaldo. Hazard is one of the best players in the world, but it's not about Hazard replacing Ronaldo.
"It's about Hazard adapting well to Real Madrid and bringing all he can, because he is a very talented player. Real Madrid were in need of a player who could make a difference in this position."
What's next?
It remains to be seen how Hazard fares at his new club.
