Hazard RULED OUT of crunch Champions League fixture against Shakhtar but Benzema returns

LaLiga champions Real Madrid suffered a major setback in their title defence following a defeat against Alaves at Alfredo di Stefano. The defeat has sparked questions on the team's consistency in the campaign, having defeated Inter Milan just the previous matchday in the Champions League. Zinedine Zidane might be forced to ponder upon his tactics and gameplan when his side take on Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League with superstar Eden Hazard ruled out of the crunch fixture.

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Hazard injury forces him out of Real Madrid vs Shakhtar clash 

Real Madrid have ruled out Hazard for the Champions League fixture this week. The Belgium international was seen limping off in the game against Alaves in the 28th minute and was replaced by Brazilian prodigy Rodrygo. Although the extent of his injury is yet to be ascertained, he has not been included in the Champions League squad to play Shakhtar. 

This is far from the first time the former Chelsea superstar has struggled with injuries since joining Real Madrid in 2019. Despite not completing two seasons with Los Blancos, Hazard has missed out on 36 games, while he had missed just 20 games with the Blues in his seven seasons at Stamford Bridge. 

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No time scale for Hazard return; Benzema available for Real Madrid vs Shakhtar 

There are currently no updates on a stipulated Hazard return. However, Zidane can breathe easy with striker Karim Benzema returning to the squad. The Frenchman last played for Real Madrid on November 8 when he scored against Valencia, following which he sustained an injury that saw him miss some key fixtures including the Champions League clash against Inter Milan. 

The injury crisis at Real Madrid could be comprehended from the fact that Luka Jovic, the backup striker to Benzema contracted coronavirus while with the Serbian national team. Hazard had recovered from coronavirus just a few days ago. Benzema's importance in this side cannot be brushed aside, considering the fact that he currently leads the goalscoring charts for Zidane's side with six goals and three assists this season. 

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Real Madrid will seal a spot in Round of 16 with a win against Shakhtar

Real Madrid sit second in group B of the Champions League standings with seven points. A victory against Shakhtar will see Los Blancos seal a spot in the Round of 16 of the competition. Notably, Real Madrid were defeated by the Ukrainian side in the first game of the Champions League this season. 

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Image courtesy: Karim Benzema, Eden Hazard Instagram