Real Madrid forward faces threat from emerging talent

Eden Hazard arrived at Real Madrid from Chelsea FC amid much fanfare back in 2019. However, he has failed to live up to expectations so far, thanks to a string of injuries that have sidelined him for the better part of the past two seasons. Now, he is being pushed down the pecking order by Vinicius Junior, who has regained confidence under the tutelage of Carlo Ancelotti.

The Belgian was expected to fill the void left behind by Cristiano Ronaldo, and was seen as a next-generation "Galactico." However, the young Brazilian has now pushed him further out of the picture. Vinicius has been a mainstay in the Italian manager's squad in the early matches of the season, scoring twice from the bench in the opening two matches. He then took the starting spot from Hazard in the most recent fixture. The young Brazilian is expected to feature again when Real Madrid returns to the newly renovated Estadio Santiago Bernabeu to host Celta Vigo on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Hazard also received a vote of confidence from Ancelotti, who started him in the club's opening two matches. However, his performances were nothing to write home about, and Vini landed the starting spot on the third try.

Hazard knows that time is running out, and he needs to step up before it's too late. He publicly admitted that the club had spent a massive amount on money on him, and he fully intends to repay their trust.

Apart from the threat from Vinicius Jr., PSG forward Kylian Mbappe is also expected to arrive next summer. Real Madrid are also believed to be targeting Borussia Dortmund phenom Erling Haaland.

As such, Hazard's days are numbered, and if Ancelotti does not see much improvement, he may find himself on the chopping block very soon. He will be aiming for a resurgence in form like Gareth Bale, who returned to the Real Madrid squad this season as a completely new man.