Roberto Martinez: Eden Hazard Can Shine 'Whether He's Carrying Weight or Not'

Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has played down concerns over Eden Hazard's fitness and said the Real Madrid star can make a difference "whether he's carrying weight or not."

Martinez told Deportes Cuatro (h/t Marca) that Hazard can still cause defenders problems: "He is a really calm person, not someone who looks for individual glory. Whether he's carrying weight or not, Hazard can break past and unsettle defences and make a difference. His innate talent doesn't depend on whether his weight is this or that."

Hazard is in Martinez's Belgium squad for their UEFA 2020 European Championship qualifiers against San Marino on Thursday and Kazakhstan on Sunday:

His physical condition has come in for scrutiny after a slow start to the season with Real Madrid. 

The Belgian reportedly arrived at his new club seven kilograms overweight, as shared by football correspondent Juan G. Arango:

Hazard then suffered a thigh injury in training that ruled him out of Los Blancos' opening games and Belgium's qualifiers against San Marino and Scotland in September.

The 28-year-old made his La Liga debut for Real Madrid as a substitute in a 3-2 win over Levante in September and followed that up with his first start in a 1-0 win over Sevilla.

Yet despite his return to first-team action, his fitness still came in for criticism.

EiF Soccer was not impressed with the Belgian during Real Madrid's derby draw with Atletico Madrid:

However, Hazard has shown signs of settling into life at the Santiago Bernabeu. He grabbed his first goal and his first assist in October's 4-2 victory against Granada.

Manager Zinedine Zidane was happy with his new signing's contribution:

Hazard now has the chance to build on that performance on the international scene with Belgium. The Red Devils have a perfect record in Group H after six games and will be expected to secure qualification with wins over San Marino and Kazakhstan.