Hazard warned by Real Madrid team-mate Modric over living up to his billing

Luka Modric has called for Real Madrid team-mate Eden Hazard to show his true form this season following a poor first year at the Bernabeu.

Hazard was one of the high profile moves during the summer transfer window of 2019 when he moved from Chelsea to Madrid for £150million.

But a series of injuries restricted the playmaker to just 22 games in all competitions, netting one goal and providing seven assists.

However he was ruled out of a further 24 games due to a series of injuries, mainly a hairline fracture in the foot throughout the winter.

Modric though sympathises with the 29-year-old, claiming he was trying too hard to play through his injury,

'Eden is a great guy and a special player, but he was playing with pain and when you're on the pitch, people always expect the best. They don't care if you have little problems,' Modric told AFP.

'I spoke to him and said, "Eden maybe you need not to play now and recover because next season we need you at your best. This is a season where you're getting to know everything but next season you need to be 100 per cent because if not, it's going to be difficult".

'Hopefully he comes back without any problems and then I'm sure he'll show his potential and why the club bought him because we will need him a lot.'

Modric also had advice for another team-mate in Gareth Bale, who also struggled under Zinedine Zidane last term.

The Wales star has fallen out of favour under the Madrid manager and the Croatian star has informed the 31-year-old he now needs to do what is best for his career.

'Gareth is a great, great player but his situation is not easy. He always has my support but he needs to decide what is best for him and what he wants to do now with his career,' Modric said.

'It was not an easy season for him but it is what it is. Maybe now he needs to get back to his best...We'll see what happens with him.'