Football Soccer - Spanish Liga Santander - Atletico Madrid v Malaga - Vicente Calderon stadium, Madrid, Spain, 29/10/16 Atletico Madrid's Yannick Carrasco celebrates after scoring his second goal. REUTERS/Sergio Perez
CAIRO – 6 March 2018: Belgian winger Eden Hazard backed his teammate Yannick Carrasco’s decision to leave Atletico Madrid and join Chinese team Dalian Yifang.
“It seems a bizarre choice, but he has his reasons; I'm sure of that. I don't have any problem with those who go to China. In China, it's certain he'll play a lot. Frankly, it's better to have playing time in China than be on the bench in La Liga,” Hazard told press on Tuesday.
Carrasco, 24, left Atletico Madrid to join Dalian Yifang for €30 million ($37 million), according to Marca, after he spent three years with the Spanish Club.
Hazard added, “Perhaps China was the only option to leave. By staying at Atletico until the end of the season, perhaps he wouldn't have played at all.”
Carrasco featured in 124 appearances with his Spanish club, scoring 40 goals, including a goal in the 2016 Champions League final against Real Madrid when Atletico lost the title on penalties.
Hazard believes that Carrasco’s transfer will not affect his performance with Belgium during the World Cup in the summer. He said, “The World Cup starts in just three months. You don't lose your level in football in such a short span of time. So, I really don't have any problem with Yannick's transfer.”
Belgium plays in Group G in the World Cup alongside Tunisia, Panama and England.
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