Belgium manager Roberto Martinez believes playmaker Eden Hazard is in good shape and isn’t worried about his lack of minutes at Real Madrid this season ahead of Nations League games against Wales and the Netherlands.
Hazard may be set to play a big role for Belgium at the World Cup in Qatar but may need to show his form and fitness with the national team, having made just one start at Madrid and playing under 100 minutes in LaLiga in total campaign .
“He’s good,” Martinez told reporters on Wednesday. “You always get the same question: ‘Did he play enough minutes?’ But he never missed a training session and was really good behind the scenes.
“The lack of minutes and playing time is there but he’s in a good frame of mind and looking forward to being on the pitch. I see an energy and a joy around Eden that I didn’t see six months ago.”
Martinez concedes those two games in the international break are crucial for the 31-year-old to set him up for Qatar but says Hazard is unlikely to play a full 90 minutes in both games.
“We will see how he is with the national team, we will assess him and then we have seven weeks until the World Cup,” said the coach.
“I don’t give us a fixed target (minutes he can play). It depends on the pace of the game and if we can see him grow from the 60-minute mark. The decision will be made on how that game goes.” goes and its performance.”
Martinez expects a tough clash with Wales in Brussels on Thursday as Belgium look to keep their Nations League final hopes alive and edge leaders Netherlands by three points.
“They have a system that they have been developing for a long time. They are particularly competitive and a team that has qualified for the World Cup.
“We’re expecting the same high-intensity game, a bit British (in style). They play through you, are direct and put a lot of pressure in the box. They’re a team you can never relax against.”