It’s very easy to find oneself impressed by Eden Hazard; the Belgian superstar is undeniably a football genius and, having taken his talents to the shores of Spain following a seven-year stint in England, he’ll be sure to light things up in La Liga.
Hazard recently completed a £130 move from Premier League club Chelsea and has finally fulfilled his boyhood wishes of playing for Los Blancos. The 28-year-old had been a target for the Spanish side for several seasons but gave the Stamford Bridge side some of his best years before deciding to make the 2018/19 campaign his last in a blue shirt.
The player went through a routine medical last Thursday ahead of his unveiling in front of 50,000 fans at the Santiago Bernabeu, and he managed to charm supporters with his very first words.
“Hola a todos,” he said after being introduced by club president Florentino Perez. The short statement, which translates to “Hi everyone” was all the Spanish the Belgian would speak, but it was certainly a good start.
“I’ll speak French because my Spanish needs improvement,” he would say before continuing his brief speech, after which he was led to the Bernabeu pitch.
Hazard’s conference was a bit similar to that of Gareth Bale’s who also could not speak Spanish upon his unveiling in 2013. Hazard seems to have the slight edge for now but has been urged to learn Spanish as soon as he can by fans on Twitter, with Bale’s struggles at the club somewhat attributed to his failure to grasp the language to this day.
Bale, who seemingly can’t catch a break as of late, left Madrid fans with yet another reason to criticise him. While Hazard’s unveiling was going on, the Welshman was busy on Twitter and Instagram, where he posted a picture of himself standing near the 18th hole at Pebble Beach, California, where the US Open is being held.
Of course, his announcement was overshadowed by Hazard’s arrival in Madrid and football fans were quick to point that out.
Real’s struggles in La Liga last season were quite notable. The club was forced to bring Zinedine Zidane back after the failures of Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari but still finished third in the Primera Division as rivals Barcelona won the league title. They were also unable to replicate the prior season’s success in the Champions League.
Hazard’s arrival is sure to boost their chances in both competitions next season and Paddy Power has them at 6/4 to conquer La Liga in the 2019/20 campaign. If you’re new to betting or this bookmaker, in particular, you can also view the best offer Paddy Power offers new customers. The bookies have odds of 4/7 Barcelona to retain the title, while outsiders Atletico Madrid have been given odds of 16.
Betfair has odds of 28/5 on Los Merengues recapturing the Champions League trophy. Favorites Manchester City have been given odds of 7/2 by the same bookies, while Hazard’s former club Chelsea is at 71/5. Current holders Liverpool are at 13/2 with Paddy Power.
Meanwhile, Hazard’s signing likely marks a new chapter for Madrid football and the player should go on to further realise his dreams by cementing himself as one of the club’s famed Galacticos. Let’s hope he touches up on that Spanish, though.