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Karim Benzema leaves Real Madrid

2023-06-04T15:31:04.991Z

Highlights: The white club announces that it has reached an agreement to terminate the contract of the Frenchman, which points to Saudi Arabia. The communication has occurred less than seven hours before the last match of the course, against Athletic at the Bernabéu (18.30, Movistar) The confusion had been great in recent days around the French player. On Thursday at noon, his departure from the Castellana was considered a matter of hours. However, suddenly everything stopped. Madrid assured that Benzema had one more year of contract (he had renewed by virtue of a clause for winning the Ballon d'Or)


The white club announces that it has reached an agreement to terminate the contract of the Frenchman, which points to Saudi Arabia


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Karim Benzema, in training this Saturday. PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU (AFP)

After a week of great uncertainty, Karim Benzema (Lyon, 35 years old) is already history at Real Madrid. The club announced on Sunday morning that the French striker is leaving the Whites after 14 seasons. Everything indicates that his destination will be Saudi Arabia, from whose League he has received a millionaire offer. The communication has occurred less than seven hours before the last match of the course, against Athletic at the Bernabéu (18.30, Movistar), where he will say goodbye to the fans.

The confusion had been great in recent days around the French player. On Thursday at noon, his departure from the Castellana was considered a matter of hours. In the offices of the club they admitted that the attacker had a dizzying economic proposal; However, suddenly everything stopped. Madrid assured that Benzema had one more year of contract (he had renewed, he pointed out, by virtue of a clause for winning the Ballon d'Or), and that same afternoon, in an act in Marca, the Frenchman fed the doubts. He didn't settle the issue with a "I'm staying," but said, "The reality is not the Internet." Those statements caused a vacuum abroad, which went from near certainty to confusion.

France's Karim Benzema during his presentation as Real Madrid striker at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on July 9, 2009.JUAN MEDINA (REUTERS)

Benzema, Kaka and Raul celebrate a goal in a league match against Deportivo de la Coruña, on August 29, 2009.Álvaro García

Real Madrid's French striker Karim Benzema poses during an interview at Real Madrid's Ciudad Deportiva in November 2009.

Mourinho celebrates with Benzema the Frenchman's goal against Lyon, during the knockout match of the Champions League, at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in March 2011. Claudio Alvarez

Zinedine Zidane with Karim Benzema, in March 2012.JAVIER SORIANO (AFP)

Marcelo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema and Di Maria (from left to right), celebrate a goal in a league match against Valencia, in April 2012.Claudio Alvarez

Benzema celebrates a goal during the league match against Rayo Vallecano held at the Santiago Bernabeu, in 2018. JUAN MEDINA (REUTERS)

Karim Benzema controls the ball during a Champions League match against Manchester City, May 4, 2022.PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU (AFP)

Karim Benzema lifts the European Super Cup trophy, at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland, on August 10, 2022. JAVIER SORIANO (AFP)

Karim Benzema receives the Ballon d'Or in Paris (France), on October 17, 2022. BENOIT TESSIER (REUTERS)

Karim Benzema, with a child wearing his shirt, receives the Legend award from the newspaper 'Marca' at the Casino de Madrid, on July 1, 2023OSCAR DEL POZO (AFP)

The last public words on his case came from Carlo Ancelotti, who this Saturday, in the press conference prior to the duel with Athletic, first showed little concrete and then said: "He has a year of contract, so here we have no doubts. " Twelve hours later, the intrigue ended with the announcement of Benzema's departure, which according to the entity received the letter of freedom.

His departure causes a great convulsion in the attack of Real Madrid, which must now go on the market in search of a starting nine when he did not expect it. His idea months ago was to sign a substitute to accompany Benzema, but this unforeseen goodbye alters all sporting plans. This Saturday was also known the end of stage of Marco Asensio, first offensive relief. Between the two they have manufactured 42 goals this season: 30 the French and 12 the Balearic. The arrival of Joselu Mato, from Espanyol, is expected as a complement, although the hole is giant and Madrid requires big game. Right now, he only has Rodrygo and Vinicius for the whole attack. In exchange, the departures of Benzema (12 million net), Asensio (about six), Hazard (saved part of the annual salary with the exit agreement) and Mariano (4.5) release a not inconsiderable part of the wage bill.

Official Communiqué: Benzema.#RealMadrid.

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) June 4, 2023

Benzema's farewell consummates a very bumpy and frustrating campaign for the striker. Just a year ago he lifted the League and the Champions League with Madrid; he became the favorite for the Ballon d'Or, which he later won; and was heading towards the World Cup, his last great aspiration in football after five years expelled from the French national team. However, his career did not take long to twist when he returned from the summer holidays. First with an injury of a month in September and, above all, by a physical problem ("muscle fatigue", as Madrid insisted) that left him in the infirmary the month before the appointment of Qatar. When he landed in Doha, everything ended up blowing up in his face very soon. A medical report of the French team ("headdress of the quadriceps of the left thigh") before the debut led to his abrupt departure from the concentration at dawn and taking the first regular flight of the morning to Madrid a few hours after knowing his injury. That march, with conflicting versions between him and Didier Deschamps, and his final farewell to Les Bleus threw more acid to a personal campaign not easy.

More goals than football

"We are sure he will return to the level of last season," Ancelotti insisted before and after the World Cup. Its performance this 2023, however, barely took flight a few afternoons. Enough to reach 30 goals this year with Madrid (a figure only surpassed in three of his 14 campaigns), but within a lower overall performance compared to previous seasons, when he made the big leap after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.

In recent dates, Benzema has been seen with little weight on the field and elusive outside. He refused to speak even when he added three hat-tricks in April and, as captain, did not appear formally either when winning the Copa del Rey or after the thrashing (4-0) suffered by the white team in the second leg of the semifinals of the Champions League against City. That tie and the Cup final once again showed the flatter version of the field. Outside, his ever-special character had sharpened. This Tuesday, at 12.00, he will again stand in front of a microphone with Florentino Pérez in the farewell ceremony six months after his last press conference.

Until his slowdown this season, the departure in 2018 of CR uncovered an unknown Karim to date, much more punctual with the goal and without losing the influence on the associative game that always characterized him. Much discussed for almost a decade by a sector of the Bernabéu that demanded more success finisher, he began an escalation that culminated with the best season of his career (44 goals and 15 assists last season) and the Golden Ball. The Benzema that nobody had imagined and, a year later, the exit that nobody saw coming until a week ago.

He leaves with 647 matches (the fifth most, behind Raúl, Casillas, Sanchís and Ramos), 353 goals (only surpassed by Cristiano) and 25 titles (five Champions Leagues, four Leagues, three Cups, five Club World Cups, four European Super Cups and as many in Spain). Due to the obligations of the script, Madrid changes era in its front.

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Source: elparis

All sports articles on 2023-06-04

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