Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has personally offered his support to Belgian winger Eden Hazard, who underwent yet another surgery on Tuesday in the Spanish capital. The president visited Hazard at the Sanitas La Zarzuela University Hospital in Madrid, where the player had an osteosynthesis plate removed from his right fibula.

Hazard is hoping that the surgery will finally allow him to get back in top competitive form so he can finally prove his worth to Los Blancos. However, before that can happen, the player is expected to be out for four to six weeks as he recovers from the surgery.

According to the club's official announcement, the operation was done by Dr. Jose Palacios under the supervision of the Real Madrid medical team. It took only half an hour to complete the surgery, and Hazard was able to return home on the same day. He will have to rest for a couple of days before he can begin therapy and the rehabilitation process at Valdebebas.

Hazard joined Real Madrid in 2019 and was hailed as the heir apparent of Cristiano Ronaldo, who left the year before. However, his stint with the club was hit with a heavy blow after picking up an injury against Paris Saint-Germain in November that same year. Since then, he had spent more time in the recovery room than on the pitch after facing numerous injury setbacks.

According to Marca, the plate was inserted in 2020, and has now been removed in the hopes that the bone has fully healed. Even as Real Madrid fans grew frustrated, Hazard has always maintained that he is determined to prove himself worthy of wearing the famous white shirt. He is under contract until 2024, and may still have the time to change his fortune.

However, with the potential arrival of Kylian Mbappe and possibly even Erling Haaland this summer, Hazard may have run out of time. He will be jostling for playing time even more than he already is, and limited minutes will mean fewer opportunities to get back to his winning form.

Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard has endured a fitness nightmare at Real Madrid GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP