Real Madrid face this Sunday’s derby against Atlético de Madrid (9:00 pm) with the worst loss of all, the French Karim Benzemaa great candidate to win the Ballon d’Or this year, if nobody else, because he is the undisputed leader of the white team, the team from Carlo Ancelotti has got 16 wins, four draws and six losses.
They are the famous “constipated” of the Frenchman who, this season, in the match against Celtic in Glasgow, feared that it was something more serious. Karim sHe put his hand on his right knee in a bad gesture during a race, without any contact, and the injury didn’t look good. Finally, he was diagnosed with a double discomfort in his thigh and the idea is that he can return after the international break, on the weekend of October 2 against Osasuna.
So far, Real Madrid has survived without anything Benzemathanks to the Uruguayan Faith Valverde and the Brazilian Rodrygo Goes, in addition to a higher level than last season’s Vinicius Junior.
Victories against Celtic (0-3, with Benzema the game was 0-0), 4-1 against Mallorca and 2-0 against RB Leipzig. A plenary session that is not held in meetings that Benzema The three previous seasons are gone, but it shows a positive balance, especially globally, even if it is not just cold data.
For example, last year Real Madrid won without its great star Inter Milan, Elche -in the League and Cup-, Alcoyano and Granada; tied against Villarreal and Cádiz; and lost their matches against Atlético de Madrid, Barcelona and Athletic Club. That means five wins, two draws and three losses.
50% win without Benzema, which his absence is more accused, as logical and will be repeated on Sunday, against the big rivals, because only Italy won the Ancelotti without French.
Of course, every case is very different. The defeat against Athletic Club, where even Isco Alarcón acted as a false ‘9’ in the absence of alternatives, was the most representative. Against Barça, the Real Madrid players themselves, starting with Nacho, admitted to leaving relieved because of the 12 points they still had to spare in the League and the motivation factor was palpable from the first moment; 0-4 victory for the azulgranas which, however, was not a determining factor in the course of the course.
The last meeting without Benzema last season it was, precisely, in the current Cívitas Metropolitano. Real Madrid came into the derby with the Liga title in their hands and days after qualifying for the ‘Champions’ final after another comeback for history. Ancelotti made a huge turn and the white team lost 1-0 in a result that, despite the rival, did not bother.
The motivation for this Sunday will be very different and will also be a litmus test for Real Madrid without Benzema and also for candidates who do not notice their absence.
intermittent replacements
Ancelotti made it clear from the first moment of the preseason, joined by Benzema later, that his preferred option to cover the absence of the Frenchman was to field the Belgian Eden Hazard of the false ‘9’, in an attempt to recover a footballer whose injuries in the last three years, since his arrival at Real Madrid, have kept him far from fulfilling the fame with which he arrived from Chelsea as one of the best player in the world.
Removed from its natural position by the undisputed dominance of Vinicius On the left side, ‘Carletto’ looked for alternatives, but it didn’t work. He left flashes, perhaps due to the desire of the Madridistas to hold on to something, in the preseason against Juventus and in the game against Celtic -goal and assist-, but he did not find continuity and added only 158 minutes in the first month of competition.
Instead, it sometimes appears to flash Rodrygo will go. Without being used as a striker, the Brazilian, who is more used to playing on the right wing, has a natural and very important quality: he has a goal; although this season he has to chain games with popularity.
He shone against Mallorca with a well-worked goal, dribbled past two rivals inside the area, and an assist on the goal, but he could not repeat the celebration in his favorite competition, the Champions League.
Against Leipzig he already usurped the substitute ‘9’ position from danger, although he failed to repeat the good feelings of the match against Mallorca. In football, time flies, so Rodrygo He should take advantage of his next opportunity, against Atlético de Madrid. When Benzema returns, his main place will be on the right side; competing with the Uruguayan Faith Valverdeperforms at a very high level at the start of the season, and has a Marco Asensio which appears to be after his goal against Mallorca
Source: La Verdad
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
