Karim Benzema leads Cristiano Ronaldo in goal participation
The loss of goals have been one of the biggest question marks at Real Madrid since their Portuguese talisman left for Juventus, but things are looking up.
It's been another impressive week for Karim Benzema. The Frenchman scored four goals for Real Madrid in just 70 hours, with a brace in the Champions League against Galatasaray - one that took him above Alfredo di Stéfano in the record books, and another two against Eibar, surpassing Ferenc Puskás in LaLiga history.
Cristiano-like contribution from Benzema
Benzema has not achieved two consecutive doubles since January of this year, when he scored two goals against Espanyol in the league followed by two more in the Copa del Rey against Girona. And despite Los Blancos suffering in results and performances since Cristiano Ronaldo departed in the summer of 2018, their number nine has been one player that has kept going.
Since August 2018, the date of the European Super Cup against Atlético, right up until this weekend's match against Eibar, Karim has scored 41 goals and provided 13 assists in 68 games across all competitions. That works out at a goal participation rate of once every 103 minutes. In Italy, Cristiano has played 56 games for Serie A champions Juventus, scoring 34 goals and giving 12 assists: one involvement every 105 minutes. [Source: Mister Chip] Juventus play AC Milan on Sunday evening.
One of the most notable statistics of Benzema's goal tally is that of those 41 goals, 31 of them (75.6%) have been from a single touch, i.e. the final strike of a move. Another seven were taken after controlling and then finishing (just two touches). A factor in this is that he has had more goals (13) with his head than with his left leg (five), while over half of his overall goals (22) have come away from the Santiago Bernabéu.
As other players under Zidane start to find their own form - no one more important in this regard that Eden Hazard - the French number nine may find that his fortunes in front of the opposition goal continue to improve as the capital club go searching for silverware.