Real Madrid player Eden Hazard won’t play a part in the Champions League clash with Liverpool on Wednesday night after he failed to recover in time completely from the ankle injury that has plagued him in recent games.
There were hopes that he could be brought back into the Real Madrid squad for both the El Calsico and the Liverpool game on the back of him missing the first Liverpool game at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano last week Tuesday.
Eden Hazard has played just 15 minutes of football since January. His last appearance came against Elche last month.
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane could have taken a risk to rush Hazard back from his ankle injury but he has decided against that. Without Hazard, Zidane and Madrid have delivered big results in the last two matches against Liverpool and arch rivals Barcelona.
Liverpool lost 3-1 to Madrid without Hazard in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal tie courtesy the brace from Brazilian international Vinicius Jr.
Apart from Vinicius, Spanish national team winger Marco Asensio was also on the scoresheet against the Reds. That Liverpool game preceeded the El Casico which ended in a 2-1 win for the capital club with goals from Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos. The result ensured that Madrid leapfrogged Barcelona into second place and they are now just one point off leaders Atletico Madrid in the race for the La Liga title.