Vinicius Junior Confident About Real Madrid Future Despite the Arrival of Eden Hazard
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior is not concerned by the presence of new €130m signing Eden Hazard at the Bernabeu, though he has admitted it will likely limit his game-time.
The 18-year-old was officially unveiled as a Real player in July 2018, joining from Flamenco for €46m, a deal which makes him the second most expensive Brazilian in the history of the sport. The starlet made 31 appearances for Los Blancos in his debut campaign, looking sharp and racking up four goals before his season was brought to an untimely end by a calf ligament tear.
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Former Chelsea superstar Hazard had been linked with a move to Madrid for much of his time at Stamford Bridge, eventually completing his mega-money switch in June.
Though the Belgian and Vinicius are likely to be competing for the same position in boss Zinedine Zidane's lineup, the latter does not feel threatened by his new teammate.
Speaking to Marca, he stated: "[Hazard's arrival] makes it more difficult for me to play, but it's not a problem for me. Everything will depend on Zidane.
"When I arrived I was a totally different player. I've learnt a lot from the staff here and from each coach," the youngster affirmed. "I've evolved tactically and lose the ball less. I'm calmer when I play.
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"Nobody wants to lose in training. Everyone, even Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema, who are both over 30, work more than anyone else and they get goals."
Hazard and Vinicius will be two of the key figures tasked with helping rebuild Real's reputation following a dismal year, both in domestic competition and in the Champions League.
The side cycled through three different managers in a nightmare season, Los Blancos finishing 19 points behind Barcelona in the league after crashing out of Europe in the round-of-16 courtesy of a humbling at the hands of Ajax.
