Carlo Ancelotti 'wants to salvage Eden Hazard's career'

Carlo Ancelotti ‘is plotting to salvage Eden Hazard’s Real Madrid career by deploying him in a new false No 9 role next season’ with the Real Madrid manager ‘planning to manage Karim Benzema’s workload’

  • Eden Hazard is set for a rest of his role at Real Madrid in order to save his career
  • Manager Carlo Ancelotti is looking at deploying Hazard in a new false No 9 role
  • Ancelotti is trying to manager Karim Benzema’s workload as he approaches 35 

Eden Hazard is set for a reinvention as a false No 9 at Real Madrid as Carlo Ancelotti looks to combine getting the best out of the Belgian star while also managing Karim Benzema’s workload.

Hazard’s time at Real Madrid since joining from Chelsea in 2019 has been nothing short of disastrous and left many fans questioning whether he should still be at the club.

The 31-year-old has been plagued by injury and fitness issues and being a shadow of the Premier League superstar Los Blancos thought they had signed. 

Carlo Ancelotti is looking to reignite Eden Hazard’s Real Madrid career with a new position

Hazard may be deployed as a back-up to Karim Benzema as Ancelotti manages his workload

But now Real boss Carlo Ancelotti is looking to reignite Hazard’s career by deploying him as the team’s centre forward in a false No 9 role when Karim Benzema is rested, according to AS. 

Ancelotti is said to be keenly aware that Benzema, the team’s star player, is approaching his 35th birthday and will need his workload managed, especially given the issue of a mid-season World Cup in Qatar. 

As such he will need rotating and Ancelotti is looking at Hazard to pick up the slack and rejuvenate himself in the Spanish capital.

Benzema, Real’s star player, is approaching his 35th birthday and will likely need rotating

Eden Hazard’s reset and new role at Real Madrid was the front page story for AS on Friday

The extent of Hazard’s decline is stark. In the three years he has been at the club, the Belgian has played just 66 times and scored a paltry six goals.

But AS reports that Hazard returns this season potentially fitter than he has been for some time, with a metal plate inserted to repair his fibula now removed and no other injury issues to speak of. 

Ancelotti’s hand may also be somewhat forced because Hazard would struggle to fit into the side in any other position. 


Both Vinicius Junior (left) and Rodrygo (right) have staked first-team places ahead of Hazard

Vinicius Junior has made the left attacking side his own, off the back of a stellar season with 22 goals in 52 appearances across all competitions, plus 20 assists. 

Similarly, Rodrygo is staking his claim on the right flank, and Benzema is the first name on the teamsheet. The middle of the pitch is dominated by Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro with rising star Edouardo Camavinga waiting in the wings. 

Hazard is also no stranger to the false No 9 role, having played in it numerous times for Chelsea during the best period of his career.  




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