One of Eden Hazard's former teammates has claimed that the Belgian international's body has let him down since he made his big-money switch to Real Madrid last year.
The former Chelsea winger has missed a lot of football through injury since he joined Los Blancos in July 2019, having featured just 28 times for the Spanish giants in a season and a half to date.
Joe Cole, an ex-Lille colleague of Hazard's, sympathises with the 29-year-old Belgium captain, and believes he has simply been let down by his body since making the switch to the 13-time UEFA Champions League winners.
"It has been a tough time for Eden. It is an example that no matter how good you are, if you are not fit then you can't do it on the pitch and it won't work," he said, according to Goal.
"For Eden, his body has just let him down in his two years there. He is a great player and one of the best players in the world when he is fit, and he has come off again with a muscle injury.
"It is disappointing because I was so excited to see him pull on that Real Madrid shirt and just join the list of the great players they have had over the years, and it just hasn't worked for him.
"I think come January (transfer window), it might not be done for him, but I think he will need a run of games to show his quality finally. I think Real Madrid are notoriously impatient, with their fans and owners, so I feel sorry for him. He has just not been able to show it."
Hazard has contributed to 10 goals since becoming Real's most expensive player ever.
