Eden Hazard has undergone the surgery that could clear the way for the Real Madrid star to find his best form in La Liga.
The 31-year-old Belgian, who was a Premier League superstar with Chelsea, has had major issues with his right ankle in recent years.
Madrid will be hoping that the best is still to come from Hazard, who has endured a torrid three seasons in LaLiga to date, struggling to do himself justice since a big-money transfer.
It is envisaged that the successful removal on Tuesday of an osteosynthesis plate in his right fibula might afford Hazard greater comfort, freeing him up to have a greater on-pitch impact.
Hazard broke the ankle while on international duty with Belgium in 2017 and required a small metal plate to be implanted as a healing aid.
Muscular issues around that area reportedly started to become a more regular problem after being on the end of a strong challenge from Belgium team-mate Thomas Meunier during a Champions League game between Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in November 2019.
Shortly after returning from that "micro-fracture", Hazard suffered a more serious break to the fibula in February 2020, which required a larger metal plate to be inserted the following month.
Discomfort
Widespread reports since then have suggested Hazard feels that second plate has been the cause of his subsequent discomfort, with Madrid daily Marca claiming in March 2021 that he asked for it to be removed.
That has now happened, with Madrid announcing successful surgery on Tuesday.
Hazard's 17 La Liga appearances this season is the most he has managed during a single campaign in Spain. Madrid lead the way by nine points, despite losing 4-0 to Barcelona last time out.
Marca reported Hazard is likely to be sidelined for four to six weeks, and that club president Florentino Perez visited him in hospital.
