Eden Hazard nutmegs the REFEREE before helping to set up Real Madrid’s opening goal against PSG… as fans go wild for his ‘merciless’ act of skill during Champions League draw
- Eden Hazard gave referee Artur Dias the slip in the build-up to Madrid’s opener
- Hazard was at his brilliant best in Madrid’s 2-2 draw with PSG at the Bernabeu
- The winger was substituted with 20 minutes remaining with a sprained ankle
- PSG fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 thanks to two late goals
Eden Hazard knows a thing or two about nut-megging defenders but last night his latest victim was a referee rather than a full-back.
The Real Madrid man showed signs of returning to his brilliant best during his side’s 2-2 draw with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Hazard seized every opportunity to run at the PSG defence and weaved his magic during the build-up to Madrid’s opening goal on Tuesday night.
Eden Hazard showed glimpses of his best form against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night
The winger weaved his way past several defenders in the build-up to Madrid’s opening goal
Hazard then slipped the ball between Dias’s legs before laying the ball off for a team-mate
The Belgium international dribbled past several defenders before slotting the ball between the legs of referee Artur Dias and laying the ball off for a team-mate.
Karim Benzema eventually converted to make it 1-0, but it was Hazard’s cheeky piece of skill that sent supporters into a frenzy on social media.
One fan on Twitter, Brendy Boyle, hailed the winger’s trick as a sign of his growing confidence: ‘Hazard coming good, phenomenal play in the build up to Benzema’s goal, including a courtesy nutmeg of the referee.’
Hazard’s night was brought to a premature end after he suffered a sprained ankle
He wasn’t alone in his praise, as football writer Euan McTear, tweeted: ‘That goal all started with Hazard’s nutmeg of the referee. Merciless.’
Another incredulous fan also took to Twitter to ask his followers to verify if what he’d seen had actually just happened. ‘Did Hazard nutmeg the ref there?’ he tweeted.
But Hazard’s night ended on a sour note after he limped off with 20 minutes remaining after suffering what appeared to be a sprained ankle.
His substitution coincided with PSG fighting back from two goals down to draw 2-2 as Kylian Mbappe and Paolo Sarabia cancelled out Benzema’s double.
The result leaves PSG top of Champions League Group A on 13 points, five clear of Madrid in second place.
