Will he be in great shape for the revenge of the last Champions League final (won 1-0 by Madrid at the Stade de France)?
Still imperial but less regular than last season, the 2022 Ballon d'Or has been hampered by repeated physical glitches since the start of the current fiscal year.
He has missed three of Real Madrid's last five games: two due to pain in the back of his right knee against Valencia (2-0 success) on February 2, and another on Saturday, the trip of the Merengues to the Osasuna lawn (2-0 success), for which he was preserved.
"We prefer to give him a little rest when he feels tired, especially at his age, so that he stays in good condition all season long," Carlo Ancelotti explained before the match.
On Sunday, Benzema trained on the fringes of the group and worked with the physical trainers, which raised doubts among Los Blancos supporters about his presence at Anfield on Tuesday.
"I feel good. Tomorrow (Tuesday, editor's note), he will start the match", swept Ancelotti Tuesday evening in a pre-match press conference.
"He, like us, we are all very eager to start this Champions League campaign, because we still have very fresh memories of last season", slipped the Italian technician.
Mute in the Champions League
It is therefore impossible for "Carletto" to do without his captain and top scorer, a real offensive compass for Real for three seasons.
Karim Benzema comes into play for Real in place of Dani Carvajal, in the group stages of the Champions League, on November 2, 2022 in Madrid © Thomas COEX / AFP / Archives
Everyone still remembers his fabulous European campaign last year with Real Madrid, which he led to the crown after an epic streak (15 goals).
Finalist, with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, of the next edition of the Fifa The Best Trophy for best player of the year which will be awarded on February 27 in Zurich, Karim Benzema has however been more discreet this season.
If he is still Real's top scorer with 16 goals in all competitions since the start of the season, he has still not opened his account in the Champions League.
A rare fact, for such a prolific goleador.
But "KB9" only participated in two matches as a starter in the group stage (against Shakhtar Donetsk).
He came on for the last half hour in both games against Celtic Glasgow, and was injured in both games against Leipzig.
No longer alone
But even diminished, Benzema remains an icon at Real: the second top scorer in the club's history (behind Cristiano Ronaldo) has been decisive during major events this season: he scored in the first match of the season to offer the UEFA Super Cup at Real, in the Clasico de Liga against Barça, in the Cup derby against Atlético Madrid, and in the final of the Club World Cup, which Real also won (5-3 against Al Hilal ).
Karim Benzema, surrounded by his Real Madrid teammates, holds up the Club World Cup trophy won against Al Hilal on February 11, 2023 in Rabat © FADEL SENNA / AFP/Archives
Ancelotti couldn't help but salute the performance of the French veteran, after his two penalties scored against Elche in La Liga on Wednesday: "Karim is having a fantastic career. I hope he can continue like this, because all of +Madridism+ wants it at this level".
But if he had carried Real on his own last year, this season, Benzema is no longer alone: he is tied with Vinicius (16 goals), and closely followed by Fede Valverde (12 goals) and Rodrygo ( 10 goals) in the ranking of the top scorers of the "White House", which he dominated by far in previous exercises.
In the absence of midfielders Toni Kroos and Aurélien Tchouaméni, both affected by the flu, Benzema will no doubt have to exercise more care in defensive duties on Tuesday at Anfield.
At the end of the contract in June, Karim Benzema is already in discussions with the management of the merengue club to extend it for another year.
History to make the idyll last as long as possible.
© 2023 AFP