Benzema, last Sunday against Valencia in Valdebebas.AFP7 via Europa Press / Europa Press
The bleeding of injuries at Real Madrid has not reached bottom.
Karim Benzema is the last one to fall due to some discomfort in the left abductor that he is ruled out for the game this Saturday against Valladolid (9:00 p.m., Movistar LaLiga) and they leave his participation in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 on the air next Wednesday in Italy against Atalanta.
With this absence, there are nine injured first-team players: Sergio Ramos, Carvajal, Valverde, Militão, Rodrygo, Odriozola, Hazard, Marcelo and now Benzema.
Barring the doubt of the French, it is unlikely that any of the rest could be available for the European duel next week.
The loss of Benzema opens a hole in the white forward because he is, by far, the team's top scorer this season (17 goals).
The second is Casemiro, with five.
The contribution of the rest of the members of the front is very scarce to date: three from Hazard and Vinicius, two from Asensio, and one from Rodrygo and Mariano.
Jovic returned on loan to Eintracht at Christmas with the score to zero.
If Zizou opts for the orthodox remedy, Mariano will play in Valladolid, a striker who has been shown the exit door at the beginning of the last two seasons.
The Hispanic-Dominican, however, refused a march and now another opportunity opens up for him.
He already had it last November due to another Benzema injury.
Then he started at San Siro against Inter, at Villarreal and at home against Alavés.
That series of three games in a row in the eleven he resolved them with a goal in La Cerámica, the first opportunity he had.
Benzema's new physical misfortune raises the list this year in Madrid to 39, well above his direct rivals in Spain: Atlético has 16 (with the new Carrasco) and Barcelona, 25. Some like Carvajal or Hazard accumulate four so far this year.