MADRID: Injured again, Eden Hazard will miss Real Madrid's Spanish league finale on Saturday.
Hazard was not included in the team's squad for the home match against Villarreal, which Madrid needs to win to have a chance of defending its Spanish league title. It enters the final round two points behind Atletico Madrid, which visits relegation-threatened Valladolid.
However, captain Sergio Ramos will be back in the squad after recovering from an injury that has kept him out of the league since March.
Hazard missed a big part of the season because of injuries but had been playing regularly recently.
“He didn't practice with the squad and we are not going to take any risks,” Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said on Friday.
Hazard is set to play for Belgium in next month's European Championship.
Atletico Madrid doesn't have any major setbacks ahead of its match at Valladolid, when it can clinch its first league title since 2014.
Barcelona, out of contention for the title, will finish its season without Lionel Messi, who was given permission to skip the team’s final match at last-place Eibar so he can have extra rest ahead of the Copa America.