Karim Benzema vs Barca’s backline
There is a general consensus among Barca fans that Karim Benzema makes them more worried than Cristiano Ronaldo. On the front, this might seem like an absurd statement. After all, being worried more about a guy who has less than half the number of goals Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in the same time doesn’t make much sense.
However, a deeper look would make you agree. In the Real Madrid team, the attacker who has the intelligence to play quick one-touch football is the Frenchman. He might not be the best finisher in the world, but as a playmaking forward, there is none better.
Going a year back, Luka Modric played a cunning forward pass to Benzema. It seemed harmless as the France #10 was being tightly marked and couldn’t score from that angle. Benzema himself knew that and, hence, played a backheel flick to Cristiano Ronaldo, who was rushing behind him, with his very first touch itself.
The Portuguese did what he does best and slammed it home to give Madrid a goal. It is this on-field and swift use of wisdom that causes the most trouble to any team. And it is for this reason he plays the integral role in Madrid’s attack as he is the key to link both Cristiano and Bale to the goal.