Real Madrid may have shown steel and nous to oust Atalanta and reach the Champions League quarter-finals, but winning the trophy for a record 14th time would be so much easier if they had a fit Eden Hazard to call upon.
Since Cristiano Ronaldo left Santiago Bernabeu in 2018, Karim Benzema has shouldered the burden of goals for Madrid. Though the Frenchman has done so admirably, he needs help.
Madrid are a sprinkle of attacking magic away from rejoining Europe’s elite. The core of their team is in fantastic shape, including goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and the evergreen Luka Modric, along with midfield powerhouse Casemiro.
That the Brazilian has also been forced to help bear the attacking load, and is the club’s second top scorer in La Liga this season behind Benzema with five goals, tells its own story.
So, too, do the rumours that club legend and all-time top goalscorer Ronaldo is being lined up for a return at 36, while also illustrating just how pitiful Hazard’s return has been so far in the Spanish capital.
Madrid overpaid for the Belgium international, stumping up an initial €100 million (£88m/$112m) to sign the forward despite Hazard having reached the last year of his contract at Chelsea.
He has since missed over half of the Blancos' matches since signing in 2019, completing 90 minutes on only four occasions.
He has also managed just four goals in 36 appearances across all competitions, largely because it takes him so much time to get up to speed after each injury, while as soon as he is threatening a return to his best, a new misfortune seems to befall him.
The 30-year-old attempted his latest comeback on Saturday, making a 15-minute cameo against Elche, having been out since the end of January.
However, it was subsequently revealed he now has a lower back injury, and may even need surgery to repair the damage.
“He’s got a long contract and when he’s fit, he’s going to be f*cking amazing,” Zidane said ahead of Hazard’s return for the 2-1 win over Elche.
The Frenchman's tone was, understandably, far different when news of the winger's latest setback emerged.
"Something is going on," he mumbled. "He has never been injured in his career and this is new for him. I can't explain more.”
Zidane was the key force behind Hazard’s signing, first encouraging president Florentino Perez to snap up the former Lille starlet in 2009.
“I’d take him with my eyes closed,” the World Cup winner said at the time.
Hazard's fitness issues are, thus, particularly disappointing for Zidane, who has been left relying heavily on Benzema because of the inconsistency of every other attacker at the club.
Vinicius Junior has raw ability and electric pace, but leaves his team-mates tearing their hair out on a regular basis with his poor finishing.
On Tuesday, the Brazilian waltzed through Atalanta’s defence, only to fire wide, leaving Benzema aghast while captain Sergio Ramos fell to the floor in disbelief.
Too much is being asked of him at 20, largely because his position on the left was supposed to be Hazard’s, a seemingly ready-made world-class talent.
Marco Asensio, who scored Madrid’s third goal against Atalanta after coming off the bench, has also proven unable to fulfil his potential to date, partly due to injury as well, while Rodrygo is more mature but often subdued.
This season, it is not just Hazard who has been out for a long time, either. Madrid are having a torrid time with injuries, with some even starting to question the club’s medical department.
Dani Carvajal has suffered four injuries this season, while Ramos is only recently back after a knee problem. Fede Valverde, Alvaro Odriozola, Mariano, Rodrygo, Eder Militao, and Lucas Vazquez have also missed multiple games, with Madrid suffering over 40 injuries this season.
At one point in February, they had just 11 fit first-team players, with Zidane having regularly submitted team-sheets without a full quota of substitutes, despite calling up youth players and listing two reserve goalkeepers.
By contrast, La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid have had fewer than 20 injuries and Barcelona just 25, according to Marca, exposing the relative fragility of Zidane’s men.
In Hazard’s case, it feels as if he is caught in a vicious cycle, with the pressure on his shoulders and an ever-increasing fear of injury causing him to suffer more problems.
Madrid need the Hazard who shone at Chelsea, floating and darting like a wasp, tying defences in knots as they tried to catch him.
Without him, Madrid’s attacking game is reduced to long shots, crossing and set-pieces, with few players possessing the skill-set to beat a defender and work the ball into the area when teams sit back.
Against Atalanta at Estadio Alfredo di Stefano, Benzema’s goal came from a grievous error from Marco Sportiello, the second was a penalty converted by Ramos, while Asensio finished off a scattered team chasing the impossible dream.
Madrid’s opponents in the next round are as unlikely to be as generous, and the load would definitely be a little bit lighter if Hazard could get fit and repay Zidane’s long-term faith.
He is the weapon Madrid need, but they seem to have lost the launch codes.