For a long time, during the Cristiano Ronaldo era, Real Madrid’s playing took the form of an Antonio Vivaldi concerto: the orchestra was to honor the virtuoso playing of the violinist. The Portuguese had the features of a whim of Niccolo Paganini. To exist, you had to follow the score written for and by CR7. Where many would have been annoyed and bored, Karim Benzema persevered. Faced with competition from Gonzalo Higuaín and Álvaro Morata, the Gone suffered criticism, jeers, and sometimes sneers from the versatile public of the Santiago-Bernabéu.
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Perhaps also because Benzema has never played the hurdy-gurdy to negotiate a raise. This mutual trust will culminate last August in a new extension until 2023, when at this age, theoretically, Real Madrid only offers one additional season and another as an option, even when your name is Sergio Ramos. .
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too precious
Today, Grand Jacques, it’s too easy. Easy to stack numbers, rankings, titles. Easy to see that Karim Benzema is the player to have worn the number 9 the most in the history of Real Madrid, behind the unbeatable Carlos Santillana and his 17 temporadas. Easy to place him at the top of the favorites for this Ballon d’Or now awarded over a full season and not over a calendar year. Easy to water down, or even to forget the twists and turns of its meringue course.
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On the evening of another crazy night against Manchester City, Brand was full of praise for the tricolor international who tore himself away to deflect an opening from Eduardo Camavinga and convert it into an offering for Rodrygo, the start of a comeback in the purest Viking tradition. Magic flute tunes: “€35 million and a chartered private plane for a round trip Madrid-Lyon-Madrid, that’s what one of the most profitable recruitments in the history of Real Madrid cost and who, 13 years after arriving at the Santiago-Bernabéu, touches the Ballon d’Or with both hands.
Only Florentino Pérez, the very man who traveled to the French city to sit in the striker’s living room to sign him for Real Madrid, and Benzema himself, believed he could day to be the best player in the world”. Amen.
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Pellegrini, Mourinho, Ancelotti, Benítez, Zidane, Lopetegui, Solari: all Benzema’s coaches have had to respond to the invectives of the press against him. Mourinho is the only one to have publicly lit it and his tirade of the cat is always remembered. The season of the Decima, KB9 is whistled by the Bernabéu. A rumor announces his departure to Chelsea and the arrival of Falcao at Casa Blanca.
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The reproach is always the same: Benzema plays adagio rather than lively. After the Clásico lost at home in December 2017 (0-3), AS the currycomb in an article titled: “Benzema or play 10” : “only 2 goals in La Liga and 14 goals in all competitions over the whole of 2017, statistics unworthy of a Real Madrid number 9 (…). Zidane continues to persist sickly with Benzema and the only answer he receives from his protege is a series of disasters”.
The Madrid sports daily once again draws the sulphate in 2018, while the offensive sector is out of inspiration and the shadow of CR7, gone to Juventus, is becoming more and more oppressive: “Benzema is unable to do work from which he has always been exonerated.”
The joy of Karim Benzema after his goal against Levante
Credit: Getty Images
Defended by his trainer, KB9 takes it for his rank, to the point that he is no longer perceived as a holder and even less as a leader: “Lopetegui’s declaration, sincere or political, contrasts with the opinion of Madrid fans”. Madrid fans who are crying out for his replacement in the starting XI by… Mariano Díaz!
Retinal persistence
It was therefore necessary for Karim Benzema to wait for 2020-2021 to finally experience a season without criticism. His tactical intelligence, his altruism and his serenity to score have made him the alpha and omega of a team that relies exclusively on him to exist. Olivier Messiaen had absolute pitch, he has absolute football and Real Madrid is his orchestra.
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Mariano Díaz, like Luka Jovic bought at a high price, play the utilities. Gareth Bale leaves Casa Blanca at the end of the contract, without drums or trumpets. Gonzalo Higuaín had some great moments in Serie A, but his last great season dates back to 2015-2016 with Napoli.
As for Cristiano Ronaldo, he could never win the Champions League with a third club and match Clarence Seedorf. Since he left Karim Benzema, he has never had a last four C1. Late recognition as Compay Segundo. But to the Cuban sound, KB Nueve prefers merengue. A common point with Florentino Pérez certainly.
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