Madrid (AFP)
A jewel ! With the ball raised and slammed with a left foot volley on Thursday, French center-forward Karim Benzema scored one of the goals of the season and kept Madrid, host of Real Sociedad on Sunday (10 p.m.), in the battle for the title in La Liga.
The jewel of a record: with this superb goal (86th) for his double that sealed the victory of the club merengue against Valence CF (3-0), Benzema (32 years old, 81 sel.) Went a step further in the history of Real Madrid. The Frenchman overtook the Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskas in the number of goals scored in the white jersey (243).
Only four sacred monsters are now ahead of him in this ranking: Santillana (290), Alfredo Di Stefano (307), Raúl (323) and the untouchable Cristiano Ronaldo (450).
"His performance was magnificent. His goal was extraordinary. We know he is comfortable with his left foot, but hey, to raise the ball in this way and to kick like that with the left foot, without the ball falls to the ground, it's really a complicated gesture. It's beautiful to see from the outside, I'm happy for him ", savored Zinédine Zidane, seen with a broad smile during the second goal of his attacker.
- "He closes mouths" -
After eleven seasons in Madrid, Benzema breaks down the barriers. Repositioned after the start of "CR7", he was able to assume his new role wonderfully, and he is the only one to dispute the supremacy of Lionel Messi at the top of the classification of the best scorers of Liga (16 for the French, 21 for the Argentine).
During this pivotal week, where Real had to face a team competing in the Champions League on Thursday this season (Valencia was eliminated by Atalanta Bergamo in the round of 16) then the attractive Real Sociedad, candidate for Europe, on Sunday evening, Benzema did not let Barça escape from his rival Messi, who puts pressure on him by chaining successes, despite the 0-0 draw recorded Friday in Seville.
Associated in turn with Gareth Bale, Marco Asensio, the Brazilian Vinicius and Rodrygo, and lately Eden Hazard, "KB9" has never wavered, constraining itself to its role of pivot center which begins to spark in its connection with the Belgian international. With this double Thursday, Benzema has chained an 8th season to 20 goals or more at Real.
"Often, we see Karim as the N.9 of Madrid, he has to score goals ... But he doesn't just do that. So when he scores, I'm happy because he closes his mouths a bit And what I mean by that is that he does his job no matter what, "said Zidane.
- "Silent dedication" -
To critics who accuse him of his lack of goals, Benzema opposes his total of assists (9 this season in all competitions), recalling that it is Sergio Ramos, and not him, who draws the penalties at Real.
And with this big exclamation mark affixed on Thursday evening, the French center-forward made a dramatic entry into the race for the best goal of the season.
"It was an irony as fine as his football, as subtle as his way of understanding the game. A silent dedication to all those who, happy be the ignorant, still cannot understand after eleven seasons that Benzema is one of the best attackers in the world, without discussion, "praised Carlos Carpio, sports journalist and deputy director of Marca, the country's best-selling newspaper, in a column on Friday.
"They say Benzema doesn't score. What they don't say is what he hides in his crampons: when they rub the ball, magic escapes. If you don't like Benzema , you don't like football, "Carpio said.
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