‘Is this the Eden Hazard who played for Chelsea?’ – Real Madrid winger slammed for ‘downing tools’ and ‘not taking transfer seriously’

Tony Cascarino insists Eden Hazard only has himself to blame for his struggles at Real Madrid this season following his latest underwhelming display against Man City in the Champions League.

As has been the case for much of Hazard's debut season in Spain, the former Chelsea star was virtually anonymous as Madrid crashed out of the Champions League with a 2-1 defeat at the Etihad on Friday night.

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After becoming the Spanish giants' most expensive player of all time last year, the Belgium forward has admitted he enjoyed his summer a little too much and turned up overweight.

Hazard scored just one LaLiga goal in a campaign littered with various niggles, and has looked a shadow of his former self whenever called upon.

Cascarino believes this is all one big knock-on effect from Hazard's failure to take the Madrid transfer seriously.

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"We all know how brilliant Hazard can be, we all know the difference he can make to a football team," Cascarino told the Weekend Sports Breakfast.

"But he didn't take the move to Madrid seriously, and he's paid for it this season.

"He turned up overweight, he's been playing catch-up, he's getting niggly injuries.

"Watching him last night was like watching a completely different player."

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Hazard suffered a similarly dreadful season at Chelsea during the 2015/16 campaign, scoring just four goals after being named PFA Player of the Year for the previous campaign.

And Cascarino suggests the 29-year-old has a habit of downing tools.

He added: "Kyle Walker must've been thinking, 'Is this the same player I faced at Chelsea?'

"He's a brilliant player, but he's paid the price for turning up at Madrid for a big fee and not taking it seriously.

"He does switch off every now and again. As good and as great as he can be, he does down tools every so often."