Ancelotti insists relationship with reject Eden Hazard 'is NOT cold'

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has admitted his relationship with Eden Hazard is distant after his player's shock comments on their breakdown in communication.

In a stunning interview on Tuesday morning, Los Blancos winger Hazard revealed he is no longer on speaking terms with his boss.

The Belgian, 32, has not played for two months but insists he wants to stay on his £470,000-a-week pay packet even if his chances of game time are low.

Yet Ancelotti, speaking ahead of his side's Champions League last-16 second leg tie against Liverpool on Wednesday, responded by denying their relations are 'cold', despite freezing him out of the team.

He said: 'The relationship is not cold. You have to value both perspectives. Hazard has been very honest, we don't talk much because it could be a matter of character.

'The most important thing for me, that if we don't talk much, he still respects me. It's the most important thing... just like I respect him.

'He doesn't play because he has a lot of competition and a player in his position who is playing very well, which is Vinicius (Junior).'

When asked if Hazard will be in his squad next season, the Italian added: 'For next year I have the players that the club makes available to me.'

The former Chelsea star has only featured for 296 minutes in all competitions this season, contributing a single goal and assist.

Hazard's last appearance for Real Madrid came in the Copa del Rey against fourth-tier side CP Cacereno.

Despite being put on the periphery of the squad, Hazard recently announced he has no intention of leaving the club this summer and wants to see out the final year of his hugely lucrative deal.

Hazard had told Belgian outlet RTBF: 'There is respect between us. But I'm not going to say that we talk to each other, because we don't talk to each other.

'But there will always be respect. Even if tomorrow, he doesn't make me play anymore.

'I have to have respect for a guy like Carlo Ancelotti. What he represents for football, what he has done in his career, there is no problem.'

Hazard moved to the Spanish giants in 2019 for an initial £88.3m, with the Athletic reporting that the triggering of some add-ons means the cost for the Belgian has now surpassed the previous club record £90m fee Real paid for Gareth Bale in 2013.

The forward signed a five-year deal and became Real Madrid's highest paid player.

Hazard retired from international football following the World Cup in Qatar, with his two group stage appearances marking the final games of his 126-cap career with Belgium.

The forward admitted he didn't like playing at the tournament ahead of a 'deserving' new generation of players.