Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has, on Sunday evening, provided an insight into the train of thought which culminated in Eden Hazard being left to watch on from the sidelines across the entirety of the club’s latest outing.
On the back of the final pre-World Cup international break, Los Blancos welcomed Osasuna to the Bernabeu earlier tonight, hopeful of maintaining their flawless start to the La Liga campaign to leapfrog Clasico rivals Barcelona back to the summit of the Spanish top-flight.
When all was said and done, however, the evening’s hosts were ultimately forced to make do with a share of the spoils.
This came as Vinicius Jr’s first-half opener was cancelled out by Kike Garcia’s decisive equaliser on the other side of the interval, before Karim Benzema fluffed his lines from the penalty spot late on.
BENZEMA SENDS THE PENALTY OFF THE CROSSBAR 😱 pic.twitter.com/IJ3aeCModS
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 2, 2022
Following the full-time whistle in Spain’s capital, it therefore came as little surprise to hear of the Real faithful making their frustrations crystal clear.
The likes of the aforementioned Benzema and midfield inclusion Dani Ceballos have both been singled out for widespread criticism on Sunday evening.
This comes owing to the Italian icon’s selection calls, namely the use of Ceballos from the off, and, later, lack of minutes afforded to Eden Hazard.
Belgian international Hazard was forced to watch on from the bench once more against Osasuna, amid what has proven another altogether underwhelming opening to the campaign.
Speaking to the media following the full-time whistle at the Bernabeu, Ancelotti, as a result, was drawn on the gifted wide-man’s latest omission.
And the Blancos boss went on to reveal his take that the abilities boasted by Mariano Diaz, introduced late on as Ancelotti went in search of a crucial winner, were simply more suited to the occasion:
🎙| Ancelotti: “Hazard? We needed Mariano’s abilities tonight, not Hazard’s.”
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) October 2, 2022
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