MADRID, Spain, Apr 5 – Zinedine Zidane expressed his admiration for Eden Hazard on Friday ahead of an expected move for the Chelsea forward from Real Madrid this summer.

Hazard’s contract expires in June 2020 and he is yet to sign a new deal, leaving Chelsea in a difficult position if they want to avoid losing the Belgian for free.

After last year’s World Cup, he admitted “it might be time for something different” while in October, he said it would be a “dream” to play for Real Madrid, “the best club in the world”.

Asked about Hazard at a press conference before Madrid’s La Liga game against Eibar on Saturday, Zidane said: “He is a player I have always rated, as everyone knows.

“He is a player that has played in France, that I have watched a lot and that I know personally. There’s nothing new about what I think of him as a player. He’s a fantastic player.”

Real Madrid have certainly struggled for goals this season.

They have scored 26 fewer than Barcelona in the league and rarely threatened Valencia on Tuesday, when they were beaten 2-1 at Mestalla.

“I know the numbers and it has cost us,” Zidane said. “This year we have had difficulty scoring. Will we change things? Yes.”

Barcelona play at home to second-placed Atletico Madrid on Saturday, meaning Real can close the gap on the top two if they overcome Eibar at the Santiago Bernabeu.

But they are five points behind Atleti and 13 adrift of Barca while the loss to Valencia in midweek exposed their weaknesses both in attack and defence.

“I’m not worried,” Zidane said. “This season has been difficult and I cannot say in two minutes what has happened but there are things that you have to accept.

“We know what all these players have won, not just in my time, but in the last five, six, seven years. We are going to try to turn it around, the club needs change, to win again, to do great things and that’s what I’m here for.

“Our problems on the pitch? We accept them. Fewer people in the stadium? We accept it. But we must not forget what these players have done either. I’m not worried at all.”

Dani Carvajal returned to training on Friday after recovering from a thigh injury but Thibaut Courtois is unlikely to be available after missing the session, along with Vinicius Junior and Marcos Llorente.

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"dd","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Kenya shines in ANOCA Zone V Youth Games

rn rn Gamern rn rn Saturday, 6th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Mick Schumacher eager to build on Ferrari testrn

rn rn Motorsrn rn rn rn 8 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Zidane praises ‘fantastic’ Hazardrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 8 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Sterling stands for a ‘better society’, says Guardiolarn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 8 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Chelsea can cope with transfer ban, says Sarrirn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 8 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Premier League voices fears over proposed CL reformsrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 8 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Pele says feeling ‘much better’ after medical treatmentrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 8 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Gor hit Kariobangi Sharks to go top of KPLrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn rn Chebet wins Junior gold for Kenya after appealrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Kenya Sevens land Sh14mn shirt sponsorshiprn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Oktay Set to rotate with RS Berkane in mindrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn rn Ethiopia crush Kenya to Mixed Relay goldrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn rn Super Obiri sizzles to World Cross goldrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Kenya down two places in latest FIFA rankingrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Rugbyrn rn rn rn rn Brazil cut down Lionesses core status dreamrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn rn Superb Lionesses storm Hong Kong semisrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Mick Schumacher eager to build on Ferrari test

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Zidane praises ‘fantastic’ Hazard

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Sterling stands for a ‘better society’, says Guardiola

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Chelsea can cope with transfer ban, says Sarri

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Premier League voices fears over proposed CL reforms

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL GOR MAHIA ADVANCE TO CAF CONFEDERATION CUP QUARTERS?

ntt
• YES
ntt
• NO
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Pele says feeling ‘much better’ after medical treatment

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Racism means England’s Rose can’t wait for career to end

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Griezmann heads to Barca wondering what might have been

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Pressure on Bayern ahead of ‘must-win’ Dortmund clash

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Juve poised to win eighth straight title in record time

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Kenya shines in ANOCA Zone V Youth Gamesrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 6th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Liverpool leave it late to beat Southamptonrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 6th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Mick Schumacher eager to build on Ferrari testrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Zidane praises ‘fantastic’ Hazardrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Sterling stands for a ‘better society’, says Guardiolarn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn rn t rn t

rn tGor hit Kariobangi Sharks to go top of KPLrn

rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tChebet wins Junior gold for Kenya after appealrn

rn Athleticsrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tKenya Sevens land Sh14mn shirt sponsorshiprn

rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tOktay Set to rotate with RS Berkane in mindrn

rn Footballrn rn Wednesday, 3rd Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tEthiopia crush Kenya to Mixed Relay goldrn

rn Athleticsrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tSuper Obiri sizzles to World Cross goldrn

rn Athleticsrn rn Saturday, 30th Mar 2019rn rn rn t

rn tKenya down two places in latest FIFA rankingrn

rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 4th Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tBrazil cut down Lionesses core status dreamrn

rn Rugbyrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn t

rn tSuperb Lionesses storm Hong Kong semisrn

rn Footballrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Kenya shines in ANOCA Zone V Youth Gamesrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 6th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Liverpool leave it late to beat Southamptonrn rn rn Viewrn rn Saturday, 6th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Mick Schumacher eager to build on Ferrari testrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Zidane praises ‘fantastic’ Hazardrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Sterling stands for a ‘better society’, says Guardiolarn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 5th Apr 2019rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */