Real Madrid News
Real Madrid defender did not take part in group training with national team – report
As Qatar gears up to host the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup in less than a week, participating teams have already arrived in the host nation and have begun their training sessions.
Though they may not be favourites to lift the title this time around, Germany still boast one of the best squads in the world and have begun their preparation.
But according to reports from Kerry Hau, Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger did not train with the German team today and worked individually. The player is still not back to complete fitness, but Hansi Flick has shown optimism over a possible return to training on Saturday for Rudiger.
The centre-back missed Real Madrid’s final three games ahead of the international break owing to discomfort in his hip that was initially diagnosed as an overload. While he stayed on the bench against Celtic, Rudiger did not make the squad for the subsequent two matches.
The summer signing would have expected more minutes moving to Real Madrid but has managed only seven La Liga starts for Los Blancos. In that duration, he scored one goal and averaged close to four defensive contributions per game.
The 29-year-old is expected to play a key role in the German national team’s campaign at the World Cup beginning next week as a regular starter in defence.
Their first game in Qatar is against Japan in just over a week’s time, and Flick will hope to have his man ready in time for the curtain-raiser.
Given that they are placed in Group E along with Luis Enrique’s Spain, it will be an uphill battle for the winners of the 2014 edition to finish on top of their group.
There is no way back for Eden Hazard at Real Madrid. The Belgian international has not given the management any reason to have faith in his abilities over his past four seasons at the club and is unsurprisingly the most important departure for the Merengues in the summer.
Hazard has one more year on his contract in Madrid. However, it is clear that Carlo Ancelotti does not trust him and that any potential replacement manager in the summer will echo his stance.
According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, Fenerbahce are willing to go all out to sign Hazard this summer. The Turkish side have made the former Chelsea their prime target, yet face a steep task ahead of them.
The 32-year-old is hellbent on seeing out his contract with Los Blancos despite seeing his career sink right before his eyes. It thus becomes complicated for the party to lure away the forward, especially in a competition outside Europe’s top five leagues.
Fenerbahce attempted to sign the winger in the recently concluded winter transfer market. They reached an agreement with Real Madrid but failed to get over the line as they could not convince the player of the move.
The biggest obstacle for the Turkish side will be convincing Hazard to make the move by letting go of his lucrative contract in Madrid. The chances are slim, but not impossible.
Hazard has made just three league appearances and one start for Ancelotti’s side this season in La Liga, a steep fall from last season’s 18 and seven respectively.
His last appearance for the team came back in January when Real Madrid faced Cacereno in the Copa del Rey. In La Liga however, he last played in September 2022 in a 4-1 win over Mallorca.
