Benzema starts cold
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Benzema starts cold

04 Oct 2022
luka
Madrid received Osasuna after nine consecutive victories, in search of Miguel Muñoz’s eleven in the 1960s and had Benzema back. Everything fell into place, but at 75 minutes, the streak was in danger. Those from Arrasate were familiar with the leader and clung to the tie at the Bernabéu. And, suddenly, Karim fell into the area. Penalty after push by David García. The French striker had no doubts about his return to action. In addition, he had a pending account with Sergio Herrera , who stopped him two maximum penalties in April at Sadar. The problem, that there were not two without three, failures in this case , and the crossbar accentuated a double sensation: Benzema has started the season cold and the penalties have gone from a blessing to a toothache. Before the injury against Celtic, Benzema had not had a start to the season as convincing as the previous one and after completing his first seven games, he has accumulated 4 goals and 1 assist. Positive baggage, but that blushes in comparison with the 8 goals and 7 final passes to his teammates in 2021-22. This season he scores, in the matches in which he has participated, 23.5% of the goals and participates in 29.4%. Last year he scored 36.4% and participated in 68.2%. After that brilliant start, he finished with 44 goals and 15 assists, 37% of the total (119) of the team and a share of 49.6%. In fact, according to Olocip, should have scored 2.19 goals more than he has, the worst in LaLiga in that regard, while since 2017-18 he had not had such a low impact on the team’s play. From the 0.45 goals more than expected that he generated with his actions last year (his best mark), to the current 0.10.

Solution to an earthly Benzema

In 2020-21, his 30 goals and 9 assists accounted for 34.1% of the 88 total, directly participating in 44.3% of them. Remarkable difference with the current season again, although in his first seven games played in Zidane’s last campaign he only managed to score once and assist twice, showing that there is, by no means, to set off alarms. In addition, in the absence of the pack leader, the puppies have grown older and in the three and a half games in which Karim, Vinicius, Rodrygo and Valverde were absent, they have taken several steps forward. Vini is overcoming his already prodigious start to the previous season, El Rayo has adapted to the false nine position perfectly and the improved and more vertical version of El Halcón has made him a danger for the rival goal. Between the three of them they have scored 13 goals at this point and have managed to keep the whites at the top with a more down-to-earth Benzema.

Ancelotti has no doubt

While Ancelotti took iron away from the second – “it’s an accident and it can happen” -, he made it clear that the next penalty will not change hands – “he is the one who best throws them and will continue to do so” – and recalled those marked against City during the course past, decisive in the round trip of the Champions League semifinals, “the important ones”. But the reality is that, after being infallible in his first 18 penalties with Madrid, Benzema has missed 5 of the last 13 he has taken. From 100% to 61.5%, with the Osasuna goalkeeper as public enemy number one (0/3) and Matías Dituro (Celta) and Edgar Badía (Elche) completing that failure re-poker from January 23, 2022 onwards.