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VN88 Rezence, Beware: Karim Benzema's Ballon D'or-winning Form Has Returned! - Sports - Nairaland

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VN88 Rezence, Beware: Karim Benzema's Ballon D'or-winning Form Has Returned! by dilshanraza13: 2:09am On Apr 08, 2023
After shining in Sunday's thrashing of Real Valladolid, the French striker is in top form ahead of Wednesday's Copa del Rey Clasico.


Karim Benzema quickly shown that he was back to his best form. The Real Madrid forward had spent the first quarter-hour of his team's Spanish Liga match against Real Valladolid doing everything Benzema. He dropped into open space, made runs into the appropriate places, and connected with the midfielders.

The Ballon d'Or-winning aspect of Benzema's game then emerged.

His first goal was a striker's dart and header at the far post, his second was a curling attempt from outside the box, and his third was unbelievable, as he contorted his aging body to flick a ball that was two yards behind him into the far corner.

In precisely six minutes and thirty-two seconds, Benzema came to life and collected the match ball.

And also at the appropriate time. His hat-trick occurred less than three days before Madrid's Copa del Rey semi-final Clasico, in which Los Blancos must overcome a 1-0 aggregate deficit to go to the final against Osasuna.

An in-form Benzema is the last thing Barcelona wants to see in a match of this magnitude; he is the key to Madrid advancing to the final.

An uneven effort
A formal form Benzema exudes an air of inevitability, as do all great strikers.

It was what made him the best in the world a year ago. Benzema would score in games where Madrid appeared doomed, like as against Manchester City and PSG in the Champions League. Fear pervaded his surroundings. Nobody knew when or how Benzema would score. He just did.

This time of year was when the Frenchman was at his peak. Since April 2, he scored 12 goals in his last 11 games - from the data of w88 Rezence.

He scored a hat-trick at Chelsea Bridge in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, two at the Etihad Stadium in the first leg of the semi-final, and one at Santiago Bernabeu to secure a spot in the final.

Benzema scored an impressive number of league goals, but he was a different kind of footballer. Indeed, whenever Madrid appeared to be on the verge of elimination from important championships, he always seemed to come through. It is uncommon for a player to be so consistent on a weekly basis and so clutch under pressure.

From facing setbacks in La Liga to being on the point of elimination from the Champions League, he consistently delivered at the appropriate time.

Nonetheless, these instances have grown less common this season. In a lot of games, Benzema has been on the field but has been unable to save his team. Obviously, this is permissible, but for a player who turned 35 in December, it demonstrates a bit of empathy.

Benzema is scoring goals at a comparable pace, but his approach on the field was completely different last season. He continues to execute hallmark runs and hook ups with Vincius Jr., but the final product has not always been there.

He blew opportunities against Real Betis. He lacked bite versus Barcelona. This player, the embodiment of altruism among elite forwards, had begun to appear vulnerable.

Injury concerns
A succession of persistent knocks has not helped. In prior years, Benzema has avoided significant ailments, but this season, he has suffered from the occasional ailment. He has struggled with a hamstring issue, a hip flexor strain, and the usual tiredness that comes with advancing age.

All of this is perhaps comprehensible for a 35-year-old who just completed a gruelingly successful season. For the best in the world, though, this is of little importance.

Moreover, for many before him, the knocks that appear in their mid-30s have been a precursor to a subsequent fall. It wasn't an emergency, but it certainly raised a few eyes.

The fact that Madrid lacks a backup striker hinders Benzema. In his absence, the Brazilian Rodrygo has been accused of playing as a No. 9, but he is more comfortable as an offensive midfielder or winger. Youngster Alvaro Rodriguez has demonstrated promise, but he lacks the necessary experience to lead the line, especially in big games.

Thus, Benzema has been placed in fights despite lacking match fitness on occasion.

Moreover, the fact that Benzema has been compelled to play multiple games in a succession implies that his body is holding him back to some degree. In the end of February, for instance, Benzema went three matches without a goal and squandered several excellent opportunities.

Madrid did not win any of them and scored only once. Interestingly, this stretch allowed Barcelona to extend its La League lead to an insurmountable double-digit margin.

The France debacle
Mid-November of 2022, Benzema arrived for France's World Cup training camp in a completely typical manner. He was captured in the images for the team's social media outlets joking with his teammates. The entirety of his return was decidedly average.

The fact that he had been battling with an unusual muscle issue was of little significance. This was the World Cup, a competition in which France was one of the favorites to win. Benzema, facing what could be his final international competition, would figure it out.

Subsequently, France disclosed that the player had sustained a thigh injury. And very shortly, Benzema's World Cup run came to a close. Benzema's refusal to participate for the team and Didier Deschamps' decision to force him out of the picture led to a series of peculiar weeks.

The exact course of events is rendered unimportant by what followed. Benzema took six weeks off following the World Cup and scored seven goals in his first seven games upon his return. Whether it was a desire for vengeance or the rejuvenating effects of a rest, the vacation had revived Benzema.

A much required break
Benzema now finds himself in a comparable circumstance. Since then, he has retired from France duty, his tensions with Deschamps apparently insurmountable. Nonetheless, this allowed the striker to relax and develop as his former French teammates won their first two Euro 2024 qualifying matches over the past two weeks.

The version of Benzema that returned to action triggered recollections of the version from the previous year. His hat trick in seven minutes was a small portion of one of his best performances of the year.

Five of his shots were on target, he produced an additional significant opportunity, and he concluded with an almost flawless match rating. Carlo Ancelotti substituted Benzema after 64 minutes, and he got a loud ovation as he exited the field.

And although Benzema was unsurprisingly disappointed to be substituted out of a Real Madrid rout, his performance could not have been more flawless. Not only did he display flashes of his Ballon d'Or-winning form, but he also received a 25-minute rest and was spared the exhaustion of an additional stretch of jogging.

What Barca must dread
All of this is bad news for a Barcelona team defending a shaky 1-0 lead. A few weeks ago, as impressive as their tight triumph at the Bernabeu was, the Blaugrana were maybe fortunate to secure a first-leg victory.

Despite their defensive prowess, they scored the game-winning goal via an own goal and allowed Los Blancos to dominate the ball for 65 percent of the game.

"I do not believe that they deserved to win. It was one of the most controlled games ever played "Ancelotti commented after the game. "If we play like this in the second leg, we'll have a better chance, since I don't believe Barcelona will approach the game in the same manner at home."

Yet, that match pitted Barcelona against a partially fit Benzema. The striker had been rushed back for a Champions League match against Liverpool a week before, kept in the lineup for the Madrid derby, and appeared to be out of ideas and legs that night.

Barça should be commended for their defensive efforts, but they will not face this version of the Ballon d'Or winner on Wednesday.

Certainly, the well-rested and firing squad will enter NouCamp. However, according to VN88 Rezence, this is Benzema's season.

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