Real Madrid’s reliance on Karim Benzema might be their Achilles Heel

Sevilla FC v Real Madrid CF - La Liga
Benzema has not been a reliable goal-getter

Karim Benzema's “renaissance” seems to have faded even before it got started. After starting the 2018/19 season with a flurry of goals, the Frenchman has gone back to his old, bad ways. This has not been a surprise to keen observers. Benzema has faded badly and is no longer a world-class striker. This is a fact that has been self-evident for years now.

This will be his 10th season as a Real Madrid player. In this period, he has crossed the 20 goal mark in league football just twice. A more damning stat is his overall tally: 197 goals in 420 matches. Benzema has had the pleasure of playing in one of the most creative teams in the world.

The Ronaldo excuse for Benzema (and why it is nonsense)

Cristiano Ronaldo’s excellence had concealed the lack of goals from Benzema and co. for a while. For far too long, Benzema had hidden in CR7’s shadow. The excuse made for him was that he had changed his role to help the Portuguese superstar. These same apologists claimed that with Ronaldo’s exit, the 30-year-old would get back to his lethal best.

Juventus v Bologna FC - Serie A
For too long, Ronaldo's excellence overshadowed Benzema's failings

These claims have proven to be false. It is true that Ronaldo was the undoubted star at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. His style meant that other players had to adjust to suit him. However, that cannot excuse Benzema’s failures, he has been surrounded by creative midfielders and fullbacks. Too many times, he has fluffed his lines in front of goal.

In 2013, Real Madrid took the decision to sacrifice Gonzalo Higuain and make Benzema the main striker. The decision has been justified in terms of trophies (13 trophies since then). However, in terms of effectiveness, it was a bad call.

Higuain has gone on to score 150 goals in 257 games since he left. This is a far better ratio than Benzema’s 110 in 237 matches. This is even without considering the disparities in the quality of support both have received.

Therefore, it boggles the mind why Real supremo Florentino Perez and manager Julen Lopetegui failed to strengthen the attack in the summer. The refusal of the hierarchy to pursue another striker didn’t make sense.

The struggle for goals post-Ronaldo

Bale is a world-class winger. However, even fully fit, he cannot match Ronaldo’s effectiveness in front of goal. Marco Asensio is still learning his craft, expecting him to get 20+ goals is insane. Castilla returnee Mariano Diaz is a good striker, not Cristiano-replacement good though.

AC Milan v Atalanta BC - Serie A
Higuain has done better than Benzema despite being in poorer teams

A pattern has emerged from Real’s play this season; lots of nice intricate passing, good build-ups, and suspect finishing. Lopetegui’s plan to spread the goals around is a sound one. However, it is one that will take a while to come good. In the games against the teams they should beat: Girona, Getafe, Leganes, goal scoring has not been an issue.

It is in the tougher games that the team has faltered. Los Merengues should have beaten Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup. The Espanyol and AS Roma games should have had bigger winning margins.

Bale has struggled gamely to carry the goal burden, ditto for Isco. However, Benzema has been disappointing, fluffing his lines time after time. It has become clear that he cannot carry the goalscoring burden. With La Liga and UCL chase expected to be fiercer than usual, goals will be needed, lots of it.

January is a notoriously bad time for getting goalscorers. There is no way that rumoured targets Neymar or Kylian Mbappe will be joining in the winter. The paucity of options means Benzema is almost undroppable.

Sevilla FC v Real Madrid CF - La Liga
Lopetegui is stuck with Benzema for the rest of the season

It is difficult to see an upturn in the Frenchman’s delivery. Madridistas may have to endure a season of lowered expectations while Lopetegui recalibrates the side.

Quick Links

Edited by Prathik R