Real Madrid are the Spanish Super Cup champions after they beat Athletic Bilbao in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side ran out 2-0 winners thanks to goals from Luka Modric and Karim Benzema either side of half time.
There was also late drama as Eder Militao was shown a straight red card for a handball in the penalty area. However, Raul Garcia could also see his penalty brilliantly saved by Thibaut Courtois.
The Super Cup certainly isn’t Real Madrid’s priority this season but they will be hoping this cup victory can be the catalyst for a few more triumphs in 2022.
They’re currently five points clear at the top of La Liga, through to the last 16 of the Copa del Rey and face Paris Saint-Germain in the knockout rounds of the Champions League.
While the Super Cup would have been fourth in their list of priorities, these players are a squad of winners and looked delighted to add another trophy to their collection.
Well, all of them apart from Eden Hazard that is.
The Belgian’s nightmare at the Bernabeu has continued this season as he’s completed just one 90 minutes.
He didn’t play a single minute in Real’s Super Cup victories over Barcelona and Athletic – and it’s clear he didn’t feel he deserved to celebrate the cup win.
That’s because several images have emerged of him not exactly revelling in the celebrations. He can be seen at the back of a squad photo, looking bored if anything.
Later, he can be seen without a medal around his neck.
He doesn’t look too happy and it sparked an interesting reaction from Chelsea fans – who demanded that the club bring him home.
Hazard left Chelsea for Real Madrid in 2019 for £88.5m plus add-ons. However, Hazard has been plagued with injury problems throughout and has made just 43 La Liga appearances during that time.
In total, he’s scored five goals in 59 matches in all competitions.
At 31, it seems Hazard’s best days are behind him. It’s sad to see a player of such quality robbed off the final few years of his career.
We’d love to see him back firing and at the top of his game once again but, at this stage, that’s looking more and more unlikely.