Real Madrid News
Benzema set for automatic one-year renewal at Real Madrid thanks to Ballon d’Or clause
Journalist Sergio Santos has reported that star striker Karim Benzema has a special clause in his contract that would extend his current Real Madrid contract by another year if he ends up winning the prestigious Ballon d’Or this year.
Benzema, 34, sees his current Madrid contract running until June 2023 and it has been established that those involved are not really worried about the situation.
All that because first, his relationship with the Madrid management is unbreakable and second, he is highly tipped to win arguably the most reputed individual award in football on October 17.
For now, everyone, including the player, expects his continuity and those involved are of the idea that a manual negotiation would not be necessary in the first place as once he is adjudged with the honour, he will remain a Madridista until 2024 automatically.
There is a discussion among the Madrid management that his renewal must be done in one way or the other. That is because he is the undisputed first-choice striker at the club and has taken over as the captain of the team following Marcelo’s exit.
It must be remembered that Benzema arrived in Madrid as a 21-year-old and his stature has only grown ever since. While his debut season was rather difficult – nine goals in 33 appearances – he has gone on to score 327 times in 612 appearances over the years.
His return puts him second on the list of Real Madrid’s all-time top scorers, a place above club legend Raul (323) and a rung below Cristiano Ronaldo (450).
Last season, the veteran forward scored 44 goals across all competitions and finished as the top scorer in both La Liga (27 goals) and the UEFA Champions League (15 goals).
This season, however, his performances have diminished mostly because of the recent injury issue, which kept him out against Mallorca, RB Leipzig and Atletico Madrid. In any way, his return of four goals and one assist in eight outings is still remarkable.
And while discussions over his renewal had been ongoing, it seems like that they might not be necessary as he would be automatically renewed once he wins his first ever Ballon d’Or.
Real Madrid News
U-turn? Benzema hints at Real Madrid stay during ceremony: “Reality is not the internet”
There has been a lot of talk around Karim Benzema’s situation over the course of the last week or so, with reports claiming that the Frenchman was on his way out of the Santiago Bernabeu.
With his contract expiring at the end of the season, it was reported that Benzema was joining Al Ittihad as part of an incredible deal worth nearly €200 million. The striker was also offered 100% of his image rights and advertising deals by the Saudi government.
Over the last day or so, it has been reported that the move is all but official at the moment, as Benzema has accepted the offer, and will soon inform Real Madrid about it.
Benzema was awarded the MARCA Leyenda awards for contribution to sports today, and speaking during it, he dropped a rather cryptic message about his future – one that says quite the opposite to what has been in the news recently.
“Speak to the fans? Speak about what? Why should I speak of the future if I’m in Madrid?”, Benzema said.
“It’s the internet speaking, and reality is not the internet,” he added.
This certainly falls away from the departure line for Benzema, who was reportedly already contemplating his life away from Madrid.
At first, though, he was hesitant about speaking about his future, saying, “Staying or leaving Real Madrid? At the moment, I’m here…we have a game on Saturday.”
He repeatedly talked about the fans, calling them the best in world football. He also said, “I know how much Real Madrid fans love me. I feel that when I’m on the pitch, I give my best for them, always.”
“I always say that we play with 11 on the pitch but also with a crucial factor, Real Madrid fans,” Benzema concluded.
