Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 9:24 AM• Mart Oude Nijeweeme • Last update: 09:41

A forced operation may end Eden Hazard’s season prematurely, it reports Marca Tuesday. The Real Madrid attacker has been struggling with muscle injuries all season, which are said to be the result of problems in his left ankle. According to the popular sports newspaper from Spain, an operation is inevitable, which would mean that Hazard will no longer play for Real this season and also have to pass up the European Championship with Belgium.

Hazard was missing on Monday at the final training at Real in preparation for the return in the eighth final of the Champions League against Atalanta. According to ElDesmarque he consciously stayed indoors to work on his recovery from yet another muscle injury. Research has shown that the winger has an abdominal muscle injury. For Hazard it is already the eleventh injury since his arrival at Real in the summer of 2019. In the past eighteen months, the now thirty-year-old attacker has struggled with injuries to the foot, fibula and hamstrings. In addition, Hazard was hit by the corona virus in November.

‘The chance that he will need surgery is very high. It would be rare if that didn’t happen, ” writes Marca. An operation must put an end to the persistent injury woes for good. The complaints on his left ankle are said to be the basis of all the muscle injuries that Hazard has endured this season. It wouldn’t be Hazard’s first time going under the knife. Last March, the Belgian flew to the United States to have an ankle surgery in Dallas. The European Championship, which was eventually postponed, was not endangered at the time.

Hazard’s season is characterized by injuries. On Saturday, he made his return to Real in the final phase of the home game against Elche (2-1) as a substitute, after he had not taken action for a number of weeks. In total he was on the field for fifteen minutes. He seemed to be fully fit again, but after two days after his first minutes of play in weeks, the prospects are again gloomy. Trainer Zinedine Zidane had asked for patience with Hazard after his comeback against Elche, especially given the tough schedule that Real still has to come. Partly due to the ongoing injury injury, the veteran has so far only played 36 games in the shirt of Real.