The French striker had always enjoyed a positive relationship with Zidane, even if the coach was not afraid to point out when he was doing something wrong.
Benzema doesn’t see Zidane leaving Real Madrid
Karim Benzema does not expect Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid to part ways this summer, despite growing speculation about the coach’s future. Benzema is enjoying a reasonable time of late. The No.9 was recalled to France for the first time in six years at this summer’s European Championship, having had a good season with his club. “He has been the coach of Real Madrid until now, right?” Benzema spoke about this in an interview. “I don’t see him leaving. He won’t leave, you will see. If he leaves, he leaves. But so far, I don’t see Real Madrid without Zidane.” The French striker had always enjoyed a positive relationship with his compatriot, even if the coach was not afraid to point out when he was doing something wrong. “Zizou has always been honest with me,” Benzema said. “Close and very sincere.”
Zidane is like an older brother for Karim
“He tells me when things are going well, but also when they aren’t. Whether it’s training or matches, he’s always very open about it. He’s very direct with me, and that’s why I respect him so much. It gives me confidence on the field. He’s my coach, but he is like an older brother. He always supported me, whether I am doing well or not, and he helped me get better every year.” Benzema’s return to the French national team came as a surprise to everyone, and the striker explained how he received the news that he would go to the European Championship. “I was at home in Madrid,” Benzema said. “I got a lot of messages. Rumours grew, and I was waiting in front of the TV like everyone else. I had all my relatives on the phone.”
“I met with the coach, but he never said that I would be in the squad. We talked, we had a long conversation about many things and not just football. We talked about life, about family, about everything. But at no point did you say to me, ‘you will be at the European Championship’. All I thought after the conversation was that we took a big step forward together and that it was positive, and I told myself that I must continue to work hard.”