MADRID, Jan 3: Real Madrid’s joint-record signing Eden Hazard has no chance of returning from his ankle injury in time for the revamped Spanish Super Cup, coach Zinedine Zidane has said.
“He is 100% ruled out of the Super Cup, when we get back (from Saudi Arabia) we hope we’ll be able to get him back little by little,” Zidane told a news conference ahead of Real’s game away to Getafe in La Liga on Saturday, their first match back after the winter break.
Hazard had a slow start at Real after a 100-million-euro ($111 million) move from Chelsea but was in brilliant form when he injured his ankle in a 2-2 draw with Paris St Germain in the Champions League on Nov. 26.
Hazard joins Real Madrid on five-year contract
After facing Getafe, Real will fly out to Jeddah to contest the new-look Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, playing Valencia on Jan. 8 for a place in the final against either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid on Jan. 12.
As well as missing Hazard for the short trip to sixth-placed Getafe, Real will also be without influential captain Sergio Ramos as the defender is suspended.
Madrid have failed to win their opening league game of the new year in the last two seasons but Zidane said his side feel refreshed after their two-week break and are looking forward to getting back to playing.
“I can’t say why we often make a bad start but we have returned feeling very good physically and have trained very well,” added Zidane, whose side trail champions Barcelona by two points in the standings after 18 games.
“We want to play and are looking forward to starting up again and we’re going to try and change this tendency.”
