Athletic Bilbao 0-0 Real Madrid - 5 talking points

#3 Karim Benzema is finished!

Karim Benzema was wasteful once again

Karim Benzema's stats read as follows:

15 games, 1,090 minutes, 5 goals and 3 assists - with only 2 goals and as many assists coming in La Liga. And that is only this season.

The Real Madrid striker didn't enjoy the most productive last seasons either.

He scored 19 goals while providing another 9 assists, in 48 appearances across all competitions, with only 11 goals coming in La Liga.

Thus, in his last 38 La Liga appearances, Benzema has scored only 13 goals. A paltry sum for the lead striker of a team of the stature of Real Madrid.

Of course, they have Cristiano Ronaldo to help ease the goalscoring burden, but the Portuguese is also aging and it is high-time Real Madrid identified and embedded proper long-term replacements for the 4-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Karim Benzema simply doesn't cut it at the biggest stage of them all and now would be the perfect time for Madrid to move the Frenchman on and try someone else, from within the club or outside, to ease the goalscoring burden on Ronaldo.

The poor form of Benzema also provides Bale with an opportunity to regain the trust of Zidane and establish himself as a key player within the team - for now, it appears, that the Welshman is surplus to requirements at the Santiago Bernabeu and they are definitely a few takers who would splash a good sum for his services.

What will happen in a few months, or maybe 6, who knows?