On July 9, 2009, a kid from Lyon landed in Madrid.
At only 21 years old, Karim Benzema joined Real and reinforced the monstrous Merengues transfer window: Kaka, Xabi Alonso, Raul Albiol and the inevitable Cristiano Ronaldo signed up that summer.
To discover
Champions League fixtures and results
Since then, all have left, all but one.
Karim Benzema still standing, most often with the banana, will play his 600th match in official competition with Casa Blanca.
And for that, what better than a gala match?
13 years without sharing
This Tuesday evening, Karim Benzema's Real Madrid will face Kevin De Bruyne's Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League.
Yes, because it is now Real DE Karim Benzema, as the Frenchman has become indispensable to this club, 13 times titled in the Champions League.
Read alsoChampions League: Benzema has the free way for the scorer classification
In 13 years, the former Olympique Lyonnais player (2005-2009) has had many competitors in his position.
Gonzalo Higuain, Emmanuel Adebayor, Alvaro Morata, Chicharito and again Morata just passed.
Karim Benzema swept them all away with the back of his bandaged hand.
During that time, the Frenchman befriended Cristiano Ronaldo.
Karim Benzema has already played 40 games this season with Real.
CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP
In the service of the fivefold Ballon d'Or, the native of Lyon played 342 games in nine seasons, to form one of the best duos in the history of football, on and off the field.
On the lawns of Europe, the two players will have exchanged 76 goals in total.
“
A very important player for the team, a great professional
” confided Cristiano in 2013. “
A fantastic player
” added the Portuguese in 2017 to the microphone of
Canal+
.
But it is since the departure of "CR7" in 2018 that the Frenchman has taken on another dimension.
Read alsoAccording to a poll, 68% of football fans think that Benzema deserves the Ballon d'Or 2022
From an exceptional sidekick, Karim Benzema has turned into an experienced leader.
Since the departure of Ronaldo, "KB9" culminates in 187 games with Real, planted 116 times and delivered 40
assists
.
This season, the condor has taken off a little more with 39 achievements in 40 games.
However, his coach refutes to define the "Nueve" as a simple scorer.
"
He represents the finalization of the team's actions, but also the ability to read the different situations of the match, to help with possession... To call him an attacker is simplistic.
It is very complete.
»
Reunion against City
For his 600th match with the Merengues, Karim Benzema will challenge Manchester City, on his lawn at the Etihad Stadium.
A club that the French faced five times in the Champions League in his career with Real.
A team that succeeds him on an individual level since he scored three times against the SkyBlues.
In 2012, the two teams met in the group stages and the Frenchman scored on the first leg (3-2) and on the return (1-1).
In 2016, the clubs face each other this time in the semi-finals.
Karim Benzema remains silent in the first leg, like his team (0-0), and misses the return for knee problems.
In the final 8 of 2020, these two giants of Europe meet again.
After City's victory in the first leg in February, Madrid travel to the Etihad in August.
Armband on the arm, "KB9" scored the only goal of this return match, but did not avoid elimination for his team.
The Blues striker has also never known victory against the Citizens in the knockout stages.
For a premiere this Tuesday evening?
Karim Benzema scorer against City in the defeat of Real (2-1) in 2020. Panoramic.
Ballon d'Or: Ronaldo
Il Fenomeno
militates for Benzema
In record mode
“
A fantastic player
was content to sum up Pep Guardiola in front of the press before this meeting.
Karim Benzema will play his 600th game for Real, and return to a game of Fernando Hierro.
The former OL player is currently the eighth most capped player in the history of the Casa Blanca, 45 games from the Top 5. The Frenchman is also the only non-Spanish in the Top 10. In 599 games with the club with 35 Liga, "KB9" has scored 318 goals and is only five points behind the legend Raúl, and to take second place in the ranking of the top scorers in the history of the club, behind a certain Cristiano Ronaldo, far ahead with his 450 goals.
Karim Benzema still more on the hunt for records.
He scored 420 goals in his professional career and is slowly approaching the bar of 850 games played (841 currently),
clubs and selections combined.
On the way to the Ballon d'Or 2022?
Read alsoBallon d'Or 2022: why Karim Benzema (really) ticks all the boxes
