Stadium Announcer: “Gol del Real Madrid, Gol de Karim…”
Bernabeu Crowd: “Benzemaaa”
Stadium Announcer: “Gol del Real Madrid, Gol de Karim…”
Bernabeu Crowd: “Benzemaaa”
Stadium Announcer: “Gol del Real Madrid, Gol de Kaarrimm…”
Bernabeu Crowd: “Benzeeemaaaaa”
The script above (or something similar to that) has pretty much been the most heard thing at the Santiago Bernabeu (and at the Alfredo Di Stefano stadium, without the crowd) since the start of the 2018-19 season. During away games, the announcement is rather subdued. Without any changes to that script, he has remained Real Madrid’s top scorer and top assist provider 10 hames into the 2021-22 season as well. Benzema’s goalscoring form is defying logic and with time it’s bound to come down towards a humane level. But his significance at Real Madrid goes beyond the goals and assists. He is the glue that binds the team and knits almost every single attack. Benzema’s positioning sense and skill are not just underrated, it’s criminally underrated. But what is his position by the way?
The ST/CAM/SS/LW?
The number on his back puts the obvious label of an out-and-out striker on Benzema’s name. He is not an out-and-out poacher, he never was. Benzema’s game has always been based on sucking in defenders and emptying space for fellow-forwards to occupy – in the most dangerous locations of the final third. He has done this very well while being Cristiano Ronaldo’s second-in-command for almost a decade. Since Ronaldo’s departure, Benzema himself has become a master of occupying dangerous positions himself. This has praised Real Madrid’s floor and Benzema’s ceiling. Benzema dominates Real Madrid left-flank perhaps more than the designated left-wingers. Being a right-footed forward, it’s easier for him to cut in with his stronger foot – to give the best chance to lay-off passes to the overlapping full-back or the winger, it also gives him the chance to switch play once the left flank has been successfully overloaded.
Real Madrid’s first goal in the 2017 UCL final is a subtle yet good example of such a move. Benzema switched the play immediately as he saw Carvajal and Ronald in acres of space that has been created due to a temporary overload Real Madrid created outside the left-half-space. Not only did Benzema switch the play, but he also continued his run in the box so that Jiverntus defenders marking him could not move towards Ronaldo with any aggression. Bonucci and Khedira were anticipating across from the deep towards Benzema. Bonucci even takes a glance and checks if he has his man covered. Zidane’s men had other ideas of course.
https://streamable.com/qdzlgc
The Passing Funnel
Everything goes through Benzema in Real Madrid’s final third. He acts as the progressive funnel on both flanks but his progressive passes are naturally left-flank-heavy. In terms of progression through passes and carries and passes that lead to a shot or goal – Benzema is everywhere. His positional freedom is given to him because of the keen eye he’s got for these kinds of moves.
Benzema hardly ever remains idle after coming deep to receive a pass. It’s always with a purpose. He arrives into deep areas, gets the ball, and recycles it as soon as he finds the opportunity for him to be a passing outlet again. In the first and last of these three instances below, Benzema works his way to set up the ball for the other outlets and gets into a shot-taking position himself with his supreme off-the-ball movement. This is very difficult for most opponents to contain.
https://streamable.com/um7vdq
Deep Recoveries
Like most things related to Karim Benzema, his defensive work rate is also underrated. He is often Real Madrid’s first line of press near the opponents’ box but he also does a tremendous job in his box. It’s not a secret that Real Madrid likes to attack through their wings. Benzema has done well to recover balls in Madrid’s mid-block and defensive half. Being a reliable ball carrier and pretty good passer, Karim is trusted by teammates to be the passing pivot from these sorts of areas. On top of that, Benzema’s touches are all but touches of a simple forward. Karim Benzema is not a simple forward.
Understanding Benzema is not easy. He is a unique footballer made with skills, struggles, and a lot of quality. His national team number 19 probably does the best job explaining what he is, not a nine, not a ten, and a bit of both. Benzema’s positional excellence has served Real Madrid at least just as good as his goals and assists have, if not more.
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[All tactical visualizations were made by Mehedi Hassan. Player Images were collected from the internet.]
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Mehedi Hassan
Madrid Betar Editorial Desk
Toronto, Canada
10.10.2021
