Carlo Ancelotti insists his relationship with Eden Hazard “is not cold” despite claims that the pair are no longer on speaking terms at Real Madrid.
The Belgian forward, who has struggled for form and fitness across four years at Santiago Bernabeu, has stated that he barely speaks with his manager at Santiago Bernabeu after being frozen out of first-team plans. Ancelotti is adamant that nobody is being ignored in his squad, with the Italian eager to point out that Hazard is merely a victim of fierce competition for places.
Ancelotti has said of Hazard heading into the second leg of Champions League last-16 encounter with Liverpool on Wednesday: “The relationship is not cold. Look, you have to appreciate both things: Hazard has been honest, because I don’t talk to him much, it’s the truth. Talking is a question of character, you feel more comfortable with some people than with others. But the most important thing for me is that if we don’t talk a lot and if he doesn’t play a lot, he respects me, just like I respect him in the same exact way. Why doesn’t he play? Because there is a lot of competition and in his position there is a player who is contributing a lot, which is Vinicius.”
