Real Madrid: Benzema the exception to the rule of chaos
The Frenchman has scored Real Madrid's last five goals and is in with a shout of beating his best season, when he scored 32 in 2011-12.
Whether or not Karim Benzema is a fan of the poetry of Rudyard Kipling is undocumented, but the Real Madrid striker has certainly been keeping his head this season while pretty much the entirety of his teammates have been losing theirs. And for once, the blame for all that has plagued Madrid’s season has fallen everywhere but on the shoulders of the Frenchman.
Far from slipping on his flip-flops for the final few games of the season, Benzema has been in excellent form of late, scoring Madrid’s last five goals and having a hand in 10 of the side’s last 13.
Even though Madrid have nothing left to play for this season – and some of Benzema’s teammates look very much like they have taken that on board – the memo did not reach the striker’s locker. With six games to go, including today’s match at against Athletic at the Bernabéu, Benzema is five goals away from matching his best season at Real Madrid when he scored 32 times in 2011-12.
| Season | Goals | Appearances | Goals per game |
| 18-19 | 27 | 49 | 0,55 |
| 17-18 | 12 | 47 | 0,25 |
| 16-17 | 19 | 48 | 0,39 |
| 15-16 | 28 | 36 | 0,77 |
| 14-15 | 22 | 46 | 0,48 |
| 13-14 | 24 | 52 | 0,46 |
| 12-13 | 20 | 50 | 0,40 |
| 11-12 | 32 | 52 | 0,62 |
| 10-11 | 26 | 48 | 0,54 |
| 09-10 | 9 | 33 | 0,27 |
| 219 | 461 | 0,47 |
| Season | Goals | Appearances | Goals per game |
| 18-19 | 27 | 49 | 0,55 |
| 17-18 | 12 | 47 | 0,25 |
| 16-17 | 19 | 48 | 0,39 |
| 15-16 | 28 | 36 | 0,77 |
| 14-15 | 22 | 46 | 0,48 |
| 13-14 | 24 | 52 | 0,46 |
| 12-13 | 20 | 50 | 0,40 |
| 11-12 | 32 | 52 | 0,62 |
| 10-11 | 26 | 48 | 0,54 |
| 09-10 | 9 | 33 | 0,27 |
| 219 | 461 | 0,47 |
With the guarantee of goals that Cristiano Ronaldo provided now in Turin, Benzema has stepped into the main striker’s role and although he could not salvage Real’s season single-handed, he is one of few players who will emerge from the three-manager train wreck of 2018-19 with his reputation enhanced.
On Sunday, when the Lions visit the capital, it is the cat they will have to concern themselves with. Benzema has scored five goals in nine games again Athletic at the Bernabéu and are the Frenchman’s sixth favourite opponent, with the Real striker finding the net eight times in 18 games overall.