Eden Hazard suffers ninth injury with Real Madrid and could be out for six weeks

The attacker had been showing signs of finding form again in the past few matches

Real Madrid forward Eden Hazard (AFP via Getty Images)

Eden Hazard has suffered yet another injury and the Real Madrid forward will miss at least a few weeks.

The Spanish club have not released details of the expected timeline for his latest absence, which is the ninth time the Belgian will miss games since moving from Chelsea in 2019.

He played only one of the first eight LaLiga fixtures this season due to injuries, but had featured in each of Real’s last five league games - four of them as starts. Hazard hasn’t completed a full 90 minutes yet this season.

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A short statement from Real Madrid read:

"Following tests carried out today on our player, Eden Hazard, by Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a muscle injury in the rectus femoris of his left leg. His recovery will continue to be assessed."

While they were typically tight-lipped about the number of games he’ll miss, Spanish outlet Marca report that there are fears that the "muscle fatigue" detected earlier in the week has now been diagnosed as “a much more serious problem”.

They suggest between a four- and six-week absence is likely, meaning Hazard will miss the Champions League last 16 first leg against Atalanta, which takes place on 24 February.

Before that, his side have domestic games against Huesca, Getafe, Valencia and Real Valladolid, while the next leagues game after the first leg in Europe are against Real Sociedad and then the derby against league leaders Atletico Madrid.

Hazard has scored twice in LaLiga this season and once in the Champions League, with his team currently third in the table domestically, level on points with Barcelona and 10 behind Atleti.

The winger’s ongoing fitness concerns will also be a worry for Belgium, who play Russia, Denmark and Finland in the group stage of Euro 2020 this coming summer.