Eden Hazard has said that "it did not occur to me for a second" to leave Real Madrid this summer after 2 injury-ridden seasons at the Bernabeu, insisting that "I would not leave there as a failure". "
Hazard played a part in Belgium's 3-0 win over Russia in their Euro 2020 group opener in St Petersburg on Saturday, coming off the bench after 72 minutes.
He has made only 2 starts for Real Madrid since January, the last being a 2-0 Champions League semi-final loss to Chelsea on 5 May, after a series of muscle injuries severely limited his impact in 2020-21 .
"I am only myself when I can enjoy myself on the pitch. This has not happened in Madrid in the last 2 years," Hazard told Belgium's Het Neuesblad. "If you have 1 & 2 injuries you can flip the switch, you recover to come back stronger, but if it's five, six, seven it's more difficult mentally. But I walk I live."
The 30-year-old's debut season at the Bernabeu was affected by two ankle fractures - the first in November 2019, before a second that required surgery in March 2020 - which saw him play just 16 La Liga games, scoring once.
The 2020-21 campaign was as disappointing for the midfielder as hamstring, calf & thigh muscle injuries left Hazard unable to find his best form.
"It did not occur to me for a second that it would be better for me to leave," Hazard said. "I will not leave there as a failure. I just want to show that I have made for Real Madrid. The last 2 years have been difficult, I have been in Madrid without really Madrid, you know ... We played in stadiums without fans, & I signed on to play at the full Bernabeu."
Hazard has faced increasing criticism from the Madrid media, particularly after he was depicted laughing & joking with Chelsea players on the Stamford Bridge pitch in the moments after losing to his former club.
"It was bad, yes," he said. "What [Edouard] Mendy & [Kurt] Zouma said was not even funny ... If there was one game I wanted to win, it was against my former club Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. When I looked at the images So I was surprised. I got a few calls [from Real Madrid teammates]. But honestly it's a good group of players, that's one of the reasons I want to stay, the atmosphere is impressive."
Belgium's Euro 2020 campaign will continue with group games against Denmark & Finland next week.
When he returns to Madrid later this summer, Hazard will be joined by new Real coach Carlo Ancelotti, who praised the forward in his introductory news conference earlier this month.
"He's a top player," Ancelotti said. "He had problems, he had a significant injury in the 1 st season ... this could be the year for him to reach his potential."