Three consecutive seasons of lucky draws brought Chelsea and Real Madrid to face each other in the Champions League, just as Eden Hazard’s wish when he left Stamford Bridge.
In the summer of 2019, Eden Hazard officially left Chelsea after 7 years to join Real Madrid. On the day of farewell to Stamford Bridge, the Belgian player sent a message to the fans:
“Chelsea and the Chelsea fans are always very special to me. In the coming seasons, I always follow and closely follow the results of the team.
I hope that the draws will bring Chelsea and Real Madrid to face each other in the Champions League every season. Then we can see each other more easily.”
Hazard and Real Madrid have a third consecutive season against Chelsea in the Champions League.
And Hazard’s wish on the day he left Chelsea came true. The lucky draws brought Real Madrid to face Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Champions League 2023.
In his fourth season playing for Real Madrid, Hazard and his teammates spent the third time in a row meeting Chelsea in the Champions League. In the previous 2 seasons, each team won 1 victory and then were crowned champions.
In the 2020/21 season, Chelsea overcame Real Madrid in the semi-finals with a total score of 3-1. A year later, Los Blancos reclaimed the debt against this opponent in the quarterfinals when winning 5-4 after 2 matches.
Eden Hazard reveals the extent of his broken relationship with Carlo Ancelotti, says they no longer speak with one another
Real Madrid flop Eden Hazard has candidly opened up on his fractured relationship with Carlo Ancelotti amid uncertainty over his future in the Spanish capital.
Los Blancos splashed out an initial £89m transfer fee to sign Hazard from Chelsea in 2019, with the overall deal potentially exceeding £150m through different add-ons.
However, Hazard has struggled to replicate his stunning Chelsea form at Madrid, with the former Blues star plagued with injuries and a lack of consistency.
The 32-year-old Belgian winger has only managed seven appearances for Madrid this season, with Hazard scoring once and registering one assist so far.
Hazard is under contract with the defending Spanish champions until 2024, but Madrid are keen to offload him in the summer as he enters the final stretch of his deal.
The former Belgium international is reportedly earning a hefty £416,000 per week at Madrid, but his departure would free up the La Liga club’s wages for new signings.
Speaking to RTBF (via Diario AS), Hazard insisted that he is keen to stay at Madrid beyond this summer and wants to “show that I can still do it” at the top level.
The Madrid winger added that he ‘respects’ Los Blancos boss Ancelotti, but he revealed that they no longer speak with one another in their professional relationship.
“I would like to stay. I’ve always said that. I hope to play and to show that I can still do it,” Hazard said.
“People have doubts, that’s normal, I understand. But for me, I’m still here next year. You never know, but a transfer is not in my plan.
“There’s respect between Ancelotti and I. But I’m not going to say we talk to each other, because we don’t. But there will always be respect.
“I have to have respect [for] a guy like Ancelotti. For what he represents for football, and for what he’s done in his career.”
