By the time Eden Hazard first stepped foot on the pitch, it turns out Real Madrid had all the goals they needed.
Karim Benzema scored twice in the first 31 minutes and Casemiro added a third before halftime as Real Madrid beat Levante 3-2 to come out of the international break on a high note.
Hazard replaced Casemiro at the hour mark and helped Real Madrid see out the victory, their second in four games to start the season.
Benzema gave Real Madrid the lead midway through the first half with a bullet header on a cross by Dani Carvajal (via beIN Sports):
The lead doubled just past the half-hour mark when Benzema settled a long ball for James Rodríguez, whose return ball played through Benzema for a slick finish:
The third goal arrived when Lucas Vázquez sprung Vinícius Júnior down the right, and his cross found the untracked Casemiro run from deep into the center of the box:
Real Madrid’s own loanee Borja Mayoral pulled one back for Levante shortly after the break, and things got interesting with Gonzalo Melero’s second in the 75th minute. Thibaut Courtois was even forced to make a stoppage-time save to preserve all three points for the hosts.
But the link-up play showcased how sumptuous this Real Madrid side can still be going forward, and there are plenty of youngsters in the ranks to be excited about.
Hazard will only help that. And the rest of us can’t help but watch how it unfolds.
More from Yahoo Sports:
