Real Madrid News
Real Madrid ‘optimistic’ about Karim Benzema after knee injury vs Celtic
Real Madrid pulled off a second-half masterclass to outplay Celtic on Tuesday night and register a 3-0 win. The game had plenty of positive takeaways, but also brought some very bad news.
When Karim Benzema was substituted off at the half-hour mark, one knew that it could not be a sign of good things to come. The Frenchman had discomfort in his knee but nothing further was known about the prognosis.
According to reports from Mario Cortegana, there is optimism over Benzema’s knee injury but doctors insist that it is still too early to decide. A more accurate analysis of his fitness will be available after the tests are conducted today.
Benzema is undoubtedly one of Real Madrid’s most treasured players. The UEFA Player of the Year single-handedly led Los Blancos’ UCL campaign against all odds last season. His consistent goalscoring record also helped the team win the La Liga title.
The problem, however, is that the club have no direct replacement for the striker. Despite their best attempts to sign a new striker in the recently concluded transfer window, Real Madrid did not find the ideal candidate and pushed the operation to next summer.
When asked about Benzema’s situation after the clash yesterday, Ancelotti said:
“We don’t think Benzema has a big problem. It’s muscular. We have to wait for the tests tomorrow. Then we will know what Benzema has.”
For now, the manager will continue to trust Eden Hazard in the absence of his talisman. Moreover, one could expect Benzema to be rested against Mallorca out of precaution too.
Real Madrid are looking towards a heavy splurge in the coming summer transfer window. After all, they do not even have another option given the sheer number of player departures already finalized.
Los Blancos have lost the services of Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Mariano Diaz, and Eden Hazard over the past week. While three of the four players predominantly featured on the bench, their presence in the squad gave Carlo Ancelotti’s side much-needed depth and a cushion of sorts.
The forward unit is, thus, the most prioritized department ahead of the transfer window. However, pieces are beginning to fall apart on other fronts and could potentially put the club in a difficult situation.
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Juventus are eyeing Lucas Vazquez and hope to sign him in the coming month. Contacts between the two parties have begun and the transfer fee discussed appears to be around the €6 million to €8 million ballpark given that he has just one year left on his contract.
The player, for his part, is willing to sign for the Italian giants given his relative lack of minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu. At 31 years of age, he understandably does not want to play a second-fiddle role.
Vasquez played part in 23 of Real Madrid’s 38 La Liga games last season, starting only on 12 occasions. Even in his few appearances, he averaged a mere 50 minutes per game.
The veteran completed the season with four goals and an assist to his name. Further, he averaged five defensive actions and a key pass in every game and feels hard done by his limited role.
Vazquez’s departure would place the club in a tricky situation as it would leave Real Madrid with only Dani Carvajal as a natural right-back option. Nacho Fernandez could, in theory, serve as the backup but a new signing for the position cannot be ruled out.
