Report: Real Madrid Star Eden Hazard to Have Leg Surgery in Dallas
Mar 2, 2020
VALENCIA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 22: Eden Hazard of Real Madrid warms up prior to the La Liga match between Levante UD and Real Madrid CF at Ciutat de Valencia on February 22, 2020 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard will reportedly have surgery to repair his broken fibula in Dallas.
According to ESPN FC's Rodrigo Faez and Alex Kirkland, the procedure will take place on Thursday or Friday. It's unclear whether the surgery will add to his recovery time, which was previously believed to be about two months.
HLN's Kristof Terreur also reported the news:
Real Madrid have a good relationship with some NBA / NFL specialists. Dr. Daniel Cooper, head of medical of the Dallas Cowboys, is a consultant for Real. The Carrell Clinic has a few ankle/foot experts like Dr. Eugene Curry, who did surgery on Dirk Nowitzki.
The former Chelsea star missed out on Sunday's 2-0 Clasico win over rivals Barcelona, continuing what has been a disappointing debut season in the Spanish capital.
He's been sidelined since suffering the injury in the 1-0 loss to Levante on February 22, his second appearance after returning from a previous injury stint.
Per the report, the decision to have surgery was mutually made between club and player, and the objective is to have Hazard make a complete recovery, rather than rush him back.
With just nine starts in La Liga so far, Hazard's first season with Real has not gone to plan:
Eden Hazard has missed as many games for Real Madrid this season as he did in seven seasons with Chelsea 🤕 pic.twitter.com/PYI3vQVLmy
The 29-year-old had been linked with Los Blancos for a long time, but he finally made the move to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu last summer.
Expectations were enormous after a final Premier League campaign in which he scored 16 goals and added 15 assists, dragging the Blues to third place. No other team-mate scored double-digit goals in the league.
But the injury bug hit early, ruining his pre-season and postponing his La Liga debut until the September 14 clash with Levante. He scored his first and only goal in the competition against Granada in October.
Real lead La Liga by a single point following Sunday's win over Barcelona, courtesy of a league-leading defence that has conceded just 17 goals. In the UEFA Champions League, they're in danger of an early exit after a 2-1 home loss against Manchester City in the round of 16.
At this stage of the season, there's little use in rushing Hazard back into action. By the time he's fully recovered and fit to play, the campaign will likely be as good as over, and preparations for the upcoming Euro 2020 tournament may already be under way.
Belgium will be among the favourites for the title if Hazard is at his best, but their chances of winning silverware will take a massive hit if their top attacking option doesn't recover in time.
La Liga Winners and Losers After Final 2020 Week 26 Table
Mar 1, 2020
MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 01: Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona reacts during the Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 01, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Lionel Messi endured a miserable game when Barcelona were beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday night. Victory took Real back to the top of La Liga, with Messi's lengthy goal drought away from home continuing.
Goals from Vinicius Junior and substitute Mariano Diaz proved decisive for Real, but it was Thibaut Courtois who was a standout between the posts. The former Chelsea goalkeeper had a string of fine saves, particularly during the first half.
Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid's chances of qualifying for next season's UEFA Champions League took a hit after a 1-1 draw away to bottom-of-the-table Espanyol. The stalemate has led to Atleti crashing out of the top four.
Dropped points were compounded by both Sevilla and Getafe winning. The latter are continuing to punch above their weight in fourth after a 1-0 win away to Real Mallorca.
A place in Europe next season, maybe even at the continent's top table, is now a realistic possibility for Jose Bordalas' team.
There was something fitting about Courtois thriving on a day when David De Gea struggled. The Manchester United stopper made an error to gift Everton a goal during a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park.
It was symptomatic of the decline in De Gea's game since the peak of Real's interest in the Red Devils' No. 1. Real ended up with Courtois in 2018, and the move initially looked like a poor consolation prize.
Things have changed since, with Keylor Navas' switch to Paris Saint-Germain last summer showing Courtois how much faith Real have in him. He's been repaying the faith with a bounce-back campaign filled with star turns like the one the Belgian produced to frustrate Messi and Co. at the Santiago Bernabeu.
He stood tall to deny Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Arthur Melo during a first half defined by sustained pressure from the visitors:
3 - Thibaut Courtois has saved 30 of the last 36 shots on target ha has faced for @realmadriden in @LaLigaEN (three saves in the first half against Barcelona). Guardian. pic.twitter.com/gI2bYjAkvf
Things didn't always go Courtois' way last term, but the 27-year-old has now become one of the cornerstones of Zinedine Zidane's squad.
Loser: Lionel Messi
Courtois' claim Real scouted Messi the same "as we study a player from Celta Vigo or Levante," per Metro, looked foolhardy at the time. However, Messi was indeed a shadow of himself while drawing a blank for the second time this season against Barca's bitter rival:
Messi struggled to get up to speed with the pace of the game. His touch uncharacteristically let him down more than once, while the burst of pace and power critical to his style of play rarely materialised.
The clearest sign of a slower Messi came when Real left-back Marcelo got back to tackle the Argentinian when he seemed set to score and equalise Real's opener. Peak Messi would never have been caught without getting his shot off.
He's now failed to score away from home in the Spanish top flight since the 1-0 win over Atletico on December 1. Barca's attacking talisman has also only managed to proffer three league goals on his travels.
Messi showing signs of decline is a problem for a Barca squad still overly reliant on the 32-year-old for inspiration. Luis Suarez's injury has increased the onus on the prolific No. 10, while summer arrival Griezmann remains inconsistent.
Did Griezmann show too much deference to Messi for that chance? Looked like going for goal himself far better option..
Barca boss Quique Setien needs a player like Griezmann to step out of Messi's shadow and give this team another way to undermine top-level opponents.
Winner: Getafe's Champions League Hopes
Eliminating Ajax from the last 32 of the UEFA Europa League on Thursday proved Getafe are ready for the big time. Bordalas' well-drilled defence frustrated last season's Champions League semi-finalists and repeated the feat in Mallorca.
Another Getafe madness today. Won 0-1 at Real Mallorca. A team who scored 3 at Betis last week, beat Real Madrid at home, beat Villarreal 3-1 and Valencia 4-1. Mallorca, at home, had ZERO shots - on or off target - against Getafe.
Keeping Mallorca's danger men in check owed a lot to the aggression and athleticism Getafe's back line is built upon. Centre-back Djene Dakonam is a budding star, while there is ample protection from a midfield underpinned by Mauro Arambarri.
The Uruguayan's partner in the engine room, Nemanja Maksimovic, tends to offer more going forward. He was the match-winner on Sunday, finding the net on 67 minutes to keep alive a streak of producing the decisive finishes for a pragmatic team mastering efficiency:
This is a squad with a formula for grinding out results and the resilience to avoid being broken down easily. Those qualities can prove decisive in the race for a Champions League spot.
If Bordalas' players make it, few of the continent's heavyweights will relish facing them.
Loser: Atletico Madrid's Champions League Qualification Chances
While Getafe are trending up in the Champions League race, Atletico are in a genuine scrap just to stay relevant. Diego Simeone's side are only a single point away from fourth, but results and performances have been a long way from the standards previously set.
Sunday's stalemate was the latest hint of a team in decline. It took Jan Oblak's heroic display between the posts to prevent the division's cellar-dwellers adding to Stefan Savic's 24th-minute own goal.
If there is one bright spot for Atleti, it's the form of box-to-box midfielder Saul Niguez. He scored his second goal in three matches in all competitions to earn a point.
Take Saul's industry and guile away, though, and this is a group shorn of flair. Alvaro Morata is still inconsistent in front of goal, while Diego Costa has lost the spark that helped him terrorise defences during his first spell with the club.
With record-signing Joao Felix injured and Thomas Lemar struggling, Atletico don't have the ingenuity to unlock deep-lying defences. This is now a plodding, workmanlike team needing to make a 1-0 first-leg lead over Liverpool in the last 16 count to stay in a Champions League tournament Simeone's men could well be watching from home next season.
La Liga Table 2020 Week 26: Standings and Final Scores After Thursday
Mar 1, 2020
Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets and Barcelona's Brazilian midfielder Arthur (R) challenge Real Madrid's Spanish midfielder Isco (C) during the Spanish League football match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on March 1, 2020. (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP) (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)
Real Madrid beat Barcelona in the Clasico on Sunday, taking the La Liga lead after Week 26 of the season.
Vinicius Jr. and Mariano Diaz were the scorers, giving Los Blancos a deserved win at home.
Atletico Madrid's road struggles continued with a 1-1 at Espanyol, and Athletic Bilbao finally got back to winning, albeit in controversial fashion against Villarreal.
Here are Sunday's full results:
Sevilla 3-2 Osasuna
Athletic 1-0 Villarreal
Espanyol 1-1 Atletico Madrid
Mallorca 0-1 Getafe
Real Madrid 2-0 Barcelona
La Liga's current standings (Position, Team, Played, Goal Difference, Points):
1 Real Madrid 26, +31, 56
2 Barcelona 26, +31, 55
3 Sevilla 26, +10, 46
4 Getafe 26, +12, 45
5 Atletico Madrid 26, +10, 44
6 Real Sociedad 25, +12, 43
7 Valencia 26, -1, 41
8 Villarreal 26, +7, 38
9 Granada 26, +1, 37
10 Athletic Bilbao 26, +3, 34
11 Levante 26, -8, 32
12 Osasuna 26, -5, 31
13 Deportivo Alaves 26, -8, 31
14 Real Betis 26, -6, 30
15 Real Valladolid 26, -7, 29
16 Eibar 25, -12, 27
17 Celta Vigo 26, -12, 25
18 Mallorca 26, -17, 22
19 Leganes 26, -19, 20
20 Espanyol 26, -22, 20
Sunday's Clasico will not go down in history as one of the best in the series, but Real did enough after the break to earn the win.
Once again, the defence did its job on the big stage:
Thibaut Courtois was called on twice in the first half, making big stops on Lionel Messi and Arthur, and Real were by far the better team after the break. Vinicius took advantage of an error from Martin Braithwaite to find space for the opener, and Mariano finished the job late on the counter.
The hosts had been waiting for a Clasico win for a long time:
Real Madrid win their first Liga Clásico since 2016 to leapfrog Barcelona at the 🔝 of the table.
— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) March 1, 2020
It took some magic from Saul Niguez to save a point, with the midfielder scoring a stunning volley early in the second half. Stefan Savic had gifted the hosts the lead with an own goal in the first half.
The draw leaves Atletico trailing Sevilla and Getafe after both recorded wins Sunday. Youssef En-Nesyri bagged a late winner for the Andalusians at home after Osasuna had completed a shock comeback from a two-goal deficit despite losing Sergio Herrera to a red card.
Getafe's remarkable season continued with a win away to Mallorca, courtesy of a single goal from Nemanja Maksimovic. They are now ranked fourth, but Real Sociedad still hold a match in hand.
Athletic got a lot of help from the officials to bag their first La Liga win since December, with a ludicrous handball decision handing them a penalty:
Raul Garcia converted from the spot for the only goal of the match against Villarreal.
Real Madrid Hop Lionel Messi, Barcelona Atop La Liga After Win in El Clasico
Mar 1, 2020
MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 01: Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 01, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)
Real Madrid have the advantage in the La Liga title race after Sunday's Clasico, beating Barcelona 2-0 at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
Los Blancos took control after the break and finally grabbed the lead thanks to a great effort from Vinicius Jr. Barcelona had a few good looks in the first half but regressed during the second, and Mariano Diaz secured the win late.
Real take a one-point lead in the standings with the win.
The opening stage of the match provided few moments of quality, with both teams clearly nervous to get going. Mateu Lahoz's tendency to reach for his cards didn't help matters, as he booked Vinicius for the very first foul called in the match and added Dani Carvajal and Jordi Alba to the list for no good reason:
Alba and Carvajal now follow Vinicius into the book. Strong start from the man in the middle.
In between bookings, Toni Kroos fired Real's first look on goal over the bar, and Antoine Griezmann somehow managed to miss the target completely after a great pass from Alba.
Karim Benzema came within inches of reaching a great Federico Valverde cross, and Kroos again tried his luck with a shot, missing wildly.
The first shot on goal came from Lionel Messi but never troubled Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian had his first real test minutes later, denying Arthur in a one-on-one situation:
The former Chelsea stopper continued his heroics when Messi found space for a shot, again making himself big to keep the score level.
Apart from the two solid interventions of Courtois, the first half didn't provide much of a spark, and at half-time, another scoreless stalemate seemed likely:
HT Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona. The last Clasico was the first goalless one in 17 years...we're on course for another at the Bernabeu.
— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) March 1, 2020
The cagey play continued after the break, with Barcelona seeing the bulk of possession but finding few openings.
Real still threatened on the counter, and after a defensive mistake from the Blaugrana, Isco put Marc-Andre ter Stegen to work with a good strike from distance.
Ter Stegen nearly gifted the hosts the lead with a dreadful pass, but Benzema couldn't turn home Carvajal's cross.
Los Blancos wanted a penalty after a clash between Vinicius and Arthur, and while replays suggested the Barcelona man stomped on his compatriot, VAR opted not to intervene.
Martin Braithwaite made his Clasico debut after 70 minutes and immediately forced a save from Courtois, before Real finally took a deserved lead. It was Vinicius who found the breakthrough, with his shot taking a deflection off Pique and past ter Stegen.
Braithwaite completely lost his man during the build-up:
Martin Braithwaite is a good striker but as an emergency right-back, I'm not sure.
Messi tried to respond but ran into a sublime tackle from Marcelo, while Pique had a great chance to tie things up, heading wide.
Ter Stegen saved his team in a one-on-one situation with Vinicius, but he was powerless to stop Mariano's shot. The substitute had only just replaced Benzema, earning his first minutes of the La Liga season.
What's Next?
Los Blancos visit Real Betis on Sunday. Barcelona host Real Sociedad on Saturday.
La Liga Results 2020: Scores and Updated Table After Saturday's Week 26 Matches
Feb 29, 2020
VALENCIA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 29: Kevin Gameiro of Valencia CF celebrates scoring his team's goal during the Liga match between Valencia CF and Real Betis Balompie at Estadio Mestalla on February 29, 2020 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Silvestre Szpylma/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Valencia beat Real Betis 2-1 on Saturday to maintain their unbeaten La Liga record at Mestalla in 2019-20.
Goals from Kevin Gameiro and Dani Parejo gave the hosts all three points and extended the visitors' winless run to six league games.
Elsewhere, Eibar boosted their hopes of survival with a 3-0 win over Levante, while Alaves were held to a draw at Leganes.
Saturday's final match saw Granada and Celta Vigo play out a goalless draw at Los Carmenes.
Valencia picked up their first win in six matches against Betis to reignite their hopes of securing a top-four finish and UEFA Champions League football for next season.
Los Che opened the scoring on the hour following a swift counter. Gameiro hit a powerful strike from outside the penalty area that flew in off the post:
3 - Kevin Gameiro has scored his third goal from outside box in @LaLigaEN since he arrived in 13/14 season, one for each one of their teams: for Sevilla in Granada in 2013, for Atlético vs Valencia in 2017 & for Valencia vs Real Betis in 2020. Lash#ValenciaRealBetis#ValenciaCFpic.twitter.com/MbGP9SQtsI
Dani Parejo doubled their lead with just a minute of normal time remaining. The Valencia captain struck from close range after being teed up by Daniel Wass.
Betis striker Loren Moron pulled one back in stoppage time with his ninth La Liga goal of the season, but it was to prove only a consolation for Rubi's struggling side.
The win sees Valencia move into seventh place in the table and just two points behind Atletico Madrid in fourth place.
Elsewhere, Eibar bounced back from a 5-0 drubbing at Barcelona last time out in La Liga with a comfortable victory against Levante at Ipurua.
Charles struck midway through the first half for the hosts. The Brazilian converted from close range following a header from Fabian Orellana.
Eibar extended their lead in the second half through Charles' second of the match. The 35-year-old powered a header into the top corner after a cross from Sergi Enrich:
25 - Eibar's Charles Dias is the second player to reach 25+ goals for the club in the top-flight, after their all-time top-scorer in the competition Sergi Enrich (31). Milestone. pic.twitter.com/9MbhMt8Das
Charles missed the chance to net a hat-trick when he saw a penalty saved by Aitor Fernandez after Jorge Miramon had been penalised for handball.
Orellana completed the scoring with six minutes left to play when he swept home Enrich's cross to move Eibar five points clear of the relegation zone.
Leganes remain second from bottom in La Liga after a 1-1 draw against Alaves.
Javier Aguirre's side went behind early in the second half when Lucas Perez combined with Joselu to score his 11th league goal of an impressive season:
⚽️ v Leganes ⚽️ v Athletic ⚽️ v Eibar ⚽️ v Real Madrid ⚽️ v Real Valladolid ⚽️ v Osasuna ⚽️ v Atleti ⚽️ v Villarreal ⚽️ v Celta ⚽️ v Valencia ⚽️ v RCD Mallorca
Leganes are short of attacking options, having lost Youssef En-Nesyri and Martin Braithwaite over the winter, but equalised on the hour through Guido Carrillo.
The visitors might have won it late on, but Perez and Ruben Duarte were denied by a fine double save from goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar.
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona: El Clasico 2020 Odds, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
Feb 29, 2020
BARCELONA, SPAIN - DECEMBER 18: Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona competes for the ball with Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid during the Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Camp Nou on December 18, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona renew hostilities on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu in a match that may go some way to deciding where the title ends up at the end of the season.
Defending champions Barcelona head into the clash on top of the table in Spain and will increase their lead to five points with victory in the Spanish capital.
Real Madrid have hit a rough patch in recent weeks. Zinedine Zidane's side have lost three of their last five meetings in all competitions and need a win to keep their title hopes alive.
Odds(courtesy of Caesars Palace):Real Madrid 6-5, Draw 27-10, Barcelona 21-10
Match Preview
Real Madrid are at risk of finishing the season without any silverware after a poor run of form in February that has seen them knocked off the top of the table and in danger of being dumped out of the UEFA Champions League.
Manchester City's 2-1 win on Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabeu means Pep Guardiola's side are favourites to progress to the quarter-finals of Europe's premier club competition. The victory also means Real Madrid have now gone three home games without a win.
Captain Sergio Ramos has urged his side to move on and focus on the Clasico:
After a very difficult night, there are two options: we can think about yesterday's defeat or work on tomorrow's win. I choose the latter. Head and heart already on el Clásico.#HalaMadrid@realmadrid
Real Madrid have struggled at home to their bitter rivals in recent seasons. Barcelona have won eight of their past 11 visits to the Spanish capital, and another win on Sunday would see them move in front in the head-to-head between the two sides:
🔜 - On Sunday, FC Barcelona could lead El Clásico head-to-head in @LaLiga for the first time EVER as both clubs have won 72 La Liga matches against each other. #ElClásico
Zidane told reporters that Sunday offers Real Madrid the "opportunity for us to change our fortunes around," and they can ill-afford another defeat if they are to be crowned champions for the first time since 2017.
Barcelona have not been wholly convincing in 2019-20 and are without key players Luis Suarez, Ousmane Dembele, Sergi Roberto and Jordi Alba for the trip to the Bernabeu, per Transfermarkt.
Yet captain Lionel Messi ended a four-match goal drought in style last time out against Eibar in La Liga and will once again lead his team's charge:
Emergency signing Martin Braithwaite also made a lively cameo against Eibar. He had a hand in two goals after arriving as a substitute and could be a useful option in attack for manager Quique Setien.
The new Barcelona boss knows what it takes to win at the Bernabeu. He beat Los Blancos twice on their own turf with former club Real Betis and can take a big step towards his first La Liga title with another win on Sunday.
La Liga Table 2020: Latest Standings Following Friday's Week 26 Results
Feb 28, 2020
SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 28: Enes Unal of Real Valladolid CF duels for the ball with Adnan Januzaj of Real Sociedad during the Liga match between Real Sociedad and Real Valladolid CF at Estadio Anoeta on February 28, 2020 in San Sebastian, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Real Sociedad moved up to third on Friday after defeating Real Valladolid 1-0 in San Sebastian. Adnan Januzaj was the Basque team's hero when he netted the only goal of the game on the hour mark.
The race at the top of the table continues this weekend between champions Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Spain's two giants face off in El Clasico on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, with the winners taking control at the La Liga summit.
La Liga Standings (played, goal difference, points)
1. Barcelona: 25, 33, 55
2. Real Madrid: 25, 29, 53
3. Real Sociedad: 25, 12, 43
4. Atletico Madrid: 25, 10, 43
5. Sevilla: 25, 10, 43
6. Getafe: 25, 11, 42
7. Villarreal: 25, 8, 38
8. Valencia: 25, -2, 38
9. Granada: 25, 1, 36
10. Levante: 25, -5, 32
11. Athletic Bilbao: 25, 2, 31
12. Osasuna: 25, -4, 31
13. Real Betis: 25, -5, 30
14. Alaves: 15, -8, 30
15. Valladolid: 26, -7, 29
16. Eibar: 24, -15, 24
17. Celta Vigo: 25, -12, 24
18. Real Mallorca: 15, -16, 22
19. Leganes: 25, -19, 19
20. Espanyol: 25, -22, 19
Friday Recap
SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 28: Adnan Januzaj of Real Sociedad celebrates after scoring goal during the Liga match between Real Sociedad and Real Valladolid CF at Estadio Anoeta on February 28, 2020 in San Sebastian, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serr
La Real's excellent campaign continues to impress after their 13th La Liga victory of the season.
Both sides saw plenty of the ball at the Reale Arena, but it was the hosts who showed the attacking intent.
Sandro Ramirez and Enes Unal both provided brief promise for the visitors in the final third, but Sociedad created the the more dangerous chances in the opposing box.
A tepid close to the first half saw Sociedad push forward after the restart. Alexander Isak nearly found an opener, but Basque fans had to wait until the 60th minute to see the ball in the net.
👀 Adnan Januzaj scores for the second consecutive week!
Januzaj met Mikel Oyarzabal's cross for the only goal. The former Manchester United starlet nodded home from close range at the near post.
The goal was a just reward for Imanol Alguacil's team, and Valladolid lacked the genuine firepower to match their respectable levels of possession.
Mikel Merino should have doubled the scoreline five minutes later, but the midfielder's header narrowly missed the target.
Martin Odegaard was an influential presence for Sociedad throughout, and the visitors could only muster one shot on target as they fell to a ninth loss of the season.
Lucas Perez Rejected Barcelona, Didn't Want 'Another Misstep' After Arsenal Move
Feb 28, 2020
VITORIA-GASTEIZ, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 23: Lucas Perez of Deportivo Alaves celebrates after scoring goal during the Liga match between Deportivo Alaves and Athletic Club at Estadio de Mendizorroza on February 23, 2020 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Alaves striker Lucas Perez has revealed he rejected Barcelona because he wanted to avoid a repeat of his experience at Arsenal.
The Blaugrana signed Martin Braithwaite from Leganes earlier in February after being granted permission to make an emergency signing following injuries to Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele.
Perez told Marca (h/t Goal's Robin Bairner) he was called by Barcelona and other clubs during the January transfer window, but he turned them down because he is "very settled" and "very happy" at Alaves.
He added:
"I didn't want to take another misstep, where I would not have opportunities, as happened to me in England. In no case did I plan to leave midseason, I want to stay here until the end.
"It is not the first time that Barcelona has called me, like other great clubs. The truth is that that does not distract me. What is clear to me is that I want to do well and I want to feel like a player again, as I am doing here, where they have given me love since day one."
Perez signed for Arsenal in 2016 on the back of a strong season with Deportivo La Coruna, in which he'd notched 19 goals and 11 assists in 39 matches.
He started the following campaign strongly, too, as he bagged a goal and an assist for Deportivo in the first game of the 2016-17 season before making the switch to the Gunners.
However, he made just 21 appearances for Arsenal that season, nine of which were starts.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 07: Lucas Perez of Arsenal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match between Arsenal FC and FC Bayern Muenchen at Emirates Stadium on March 7, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Gett
Despite his limited opportunities, he managed to contribute seven goals and five assists, but he was loaned back to Deportivo for the 2017-18 season before being sold to West Ham United.
He started just six times for the Hammers, scoring six goals, before Alaves bought him last summer.
While he did not have a happy time in the Premier League, he said the move out of Spain "helped me to grow on a personal and football level" and believes "it's something that all players should try."
He evidently wasn't keen to repeat the experience of being a bit-part player, though.
The 31-year-old has made 24 La Liga appearances this season, starting 19 of them. He has 10 goals and five assists to his name:
Lucas Pérez has scored 10 LaLiga goals in a season for the second time:
⚽️ 2015-16 (Deportivo La Coruna) ⚽️ 2019-20 (Alavés)
His tally this season includes a stretch in which he scored for seven games in a row. Alaves have only scored 27 in total this season, so he's had a hand in over half of them.
He scored and assisted against Athletic Bilbao as Alaves recorded a 2-1 victory on Sunday:
Earlier in the month, he broke the deadlock against Eibar in another 2-1 win:
Perez has shown at both Arsenal and West Ham that he can contribute despite limited minutes on the pitch, and he has enjoyed a strong campaign with Alaves, so he could have been a shrewd choice for Barca given their circumstances.
Braithwaite had eight goals and one assist in 27 matches for Leganes this season, including six of their 18 goals in La Liga.
The Dane made a significant impact on his debut and had a hand in creating two goals for Barca as they beat Eibar 5-0 on Saturday.
Although he was not credited with an assist in either case, it was his cross that Marko Dmitrovic parried into Lionel Messi's path for Barca's fourth and his shot that rebounded to Arthur from Dmitrovic for their fifth.
Eden Hazard 'Very Focused' on Playing Again This Season, Says Roberto Martinez
Feb 28, 2020
VALENCIA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 22: Eden Hazard of Real Madrid looks on during the Liga match between Levante UD and Real Madrid CF at Ciutat de Valencia on February 22, 2020 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has said Eden Hazard is "very focused" on playing for Real Madrid again this season following another injury setback in his first term at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Hazard, 29, had only recently returned from almost three months out of action when he suffered a distal fibula fracture during Saturday's shock 1-0 loss at Levante.
It's understood Real are yet to make a decision on whether their €100 million signing will undergo surgery to repair the damage. Martinez told Cadena Ser radio (h/t ESPN FC's Adriana Garcia):
"He is someone that never falls apart.
"He is very strong mentally, but he is sad because he was very eager to show Real Madrid fans what he is capable of at such an important stage of the season.
"We've been in contact. We are very sad. Now we have to look ahead and hope he recovers as soon as possible. He is very focused on wanting to recover for the end of the La Liga season. He is already looking ahead."
The winger's start to life in Madrid was delayed after he suffered a hamstring injury on the eve of the current league campaign, and he's racked up just 15 appearances for Real thus far.
Manager Zinedine Zidane sympathised with the player following his most recent injury, via Football Daily:
The Belgium boss may have concerns over the player's involvement at UEFA Euro 2020, which kicks off on June 12 and will take a month to run its course (the final takes place at Wembley Stadium on July 12).
However, Martinez seemed assured regarding Hazard's involvement in the competition: "No. I'm not worried. It's 15 weeks [until then], and I'm confident that Eden will play for Madrid this season. How he arrives at the European Championship is a different matter, but I'm certain he will play before the end of the campaign."
ASreported soon after Hazard's latest injury that he was expected to be sidelined for around two months, while Martinez told reporters his recovery would take "at least three months."
Alvaro Romeo of the Totally Football Show touched on the impact of Hazard's absence:
🎙️FROM THE POD🎙️ Manchester City face Real Madrid tonight, but Real are in an uncertain state: patchy form, no Eden Hazard & as @Alvaro_Romeo explains, they're leaking goals & don't have the "eagerness" to score them #UCL#RMCity
Zidane has had to make do without the player for much of this season and so hasn't had a real chance to adopt him into his plans.
Gareth Bale continues to be used in a bit-part role even when fit for Real, and AFP's Tom Allnutt praised Vinicius Jr.:
Vinicius in good form before Hazard came back, changed the game v Atletico. Probably Hazard was the plan to play his role in this system but he's earned his chance.
Los Blancos could have done with an extra injection of star quality when they succumbed 2-1 at home to Manchester City on Wednesday in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 clash.
Real will hope to avoid a third straight defeat across all competitions when they host Barcelona in El Clasico on Sunday.
Sergio Ramos Says His 'Head and Heart Already on El Clasico' After UCL Red Card
Feb 27, 2020
MADRID, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 26: Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League match between Real Madrid v Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu on February 26, 2020 in Madrid Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Sergio Ramos is already moving on from being sent off during Real Madrid's 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester City in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League last 16 on Wednesday.
Ramos was dismissed four minutes from time after tripping City striker Gabriel Jesus on the edge of the box. It marked the fourth time the centre-back has been shown a red card while participating in Europe's premier club competition.
However, Ramos isn't about to stew over the incident for long, quickly turning his focus to Sunday's game against bitter rivals Barcelona in La Liga. Real's skipper tweeted (h/t Matt Atherton of the Daily Express): "After a very difficult night, there are two options. We can think about yesterday's defeat or work on tomorrow's win. I choose the latter. Head and heart already on el Clasico. #HalaMadrid @realmadrid"
Ramos may be defiant about his next move, but there's no doubt his infraction against City has harmed Real's chances of going through. Los Blancos intend to appeal Ramo's suspension for the second leg at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, March 17, per Cadena SER (h/t MailOnline's Jonathan Spencer).
Even if the ban is overturned, questions will persist about whether Ramos can still be an asset at this level. The 33-year-old appeared off the pace against City, routinely struggling to cope with the speed, strength and movement of Jesus.
Ramos' clumsy foul on the scorer of City's opening goal not only gave him some unwanted numbers, but it also served as a fitting indictment of a calamitous performance which also included being beaten in the air when Jesus headed in:
A dip in form has come at the worst time for Ramos and Real. Not only is the club facing an uphill battle to reach the last eight in Europe, Zinedine Zidane's team has lost ground in the domestic title race.
Drawing 2-2 at home against struggling Celta Vigo before losing 1-0 in Levante led to Real slipping off top spot. Barca seized the initiative thanks to a 2-1 victory over Getafe before last week's 5-0 win against Eibar at the Camp Nou.
Lionel Messi scored four against Eibar to take firm control of the scoring charts in Spain's top flight:
Messi's form should concern a Real defence toyed with by City. So should the improvement shown from Antoine Griezmann.
The Frenchman appears to be settling as a Barca player following his big-money move from Atletico Madrid last summer. Griezmann has found the net in two of his last three matches, including scoring the equaliser in Tuesday's 1-1 draw away to Napoli in the Champions League.
Ramos has enjoyed success in this legendary fixture before, and he remains a forceful leader:
However, there have been signs the veteran's powers are on the wane. Those signs will give Barca hope of extending their lead at the top to five points.
City will also feel optimistic about finishing the job in Europe, with or without Ramos in the Real lineup.
