Europe 1 with AFP 7:42 p.m., December 29, 2022
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Thursday that he had found a Karim Benzema "full of motivation and enthusiasm" and whose "physical condition has improved", while refusing to comment on the conditions of the Ballon d' Or 2022 three days before the start of the World Cup in Qatar.
Karim Benzema seems to have definitely turned the page on the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In an interview on Thursday, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti gave news of the 2022 Ballon d'Or, reassuring news to say the least since Benzema is said to be 'full of motivation and enthusiasm'.
"I'm not going to comment on the decision that France made. For them, he didn't have the opportunity to play at the World Cup. For us, we saw a player full of motivation and enthusiasm return. He will help us a lot during the second half of the season", swept Ancelotti Thursday in a press conference, before the match of Real Madrid in Valladolid Friday at 9:30 p.m. for the 15th day of La Liga.
>> READ ALSO
- Ligue 1 football: PSG snatch victory against Strasbourg led by Mbappé
Overestimated recovery time?
Dismissed from the France team due to a left thigh injury on November 19, just three days before the entry into the running of the Blues against Australia, Benzema awaited the defeat of France in the final against the Argentina (3-3 ap, 4 tab to 2) to announce the "end" of his career in the France team, on December 19.
His recovery time had been estimated at three weeks by the French Federation (FFF).
"Karim came back on December 10, after the holidays we gave to everyone who was at the World Cup. He came back quite well, he started working with the team. He played thirty minutes in the first friendly match, then 45, and his physical condition has improved. He's very excited to come back, because he didn't play much in the first half of the season, and I'm sure he'll show all his quality “, affirmed Ancelotti on Thursday.