Karim Benzema came in for a fair amount of stick from the Santiago Bernabéu crowd after proving guilty of a couple of glaring misses and a passive attitude that's becoming rather too regular a thing.
Benzema impassive when going got tough
Benzema is a marvellous player, of that there can be not a shadow of a doubt; but the fans are growing tired of watching the fulcrum of their attack so frequently offer such a sensation of zero passion.
Benzema (right) reacts during Real Madrid's 2-1 win over Málaga on Saturday. Denis Doyle (Getty Images)
The 29-year-old has had worse games than yesterday's against Málaga, sure. But when the tough got going he remained impassive - and that didn't escape the supporters' attention for a second.
Needs to use Zidane's faith to deliver his best
Benzema has the unconditional backing of his coach, Zinedine Zidane, but he should use that to draw the confidence and self-belief to perform to his very best. Not to get comfy.
With so many players sitting on the bench and champing at the bit to cover every blade of grass, there have been too many games now in which Benzema has come off the pitch without a drop of sweat on his brow.
Watching Cristiano Ronaldo have a 'mare in front of goal but still bust a gut to track back, while Benzema trots about waiting for something to happen - that is simply too striking a sight to go unnoticed by either the crowd or his team-mates.
Benzema is replace by Álvaro Morata in the second half. JESUS ALVAREZ ORIHUELA (DIARIO AS)
Still in time to change jeers to cheers
The business end of the season is yet to come, and Benzema is still in time to change the jeers to cheers; but he has to understand that quality alone won't do in the moments when it's about rolling your sleeves up.
Yesterday was a clear warning that the Real Madrid faithful have got their beady eye on him - and that, between now and the end of the campaign, they aren't going to let him off with too many more siestas.
