Real Madrid News
Reason behind France manager’s alleged frosty relationship with Benzema – report
The fact that the reigning Ballon d’Or winner did not take part in the FIFA World Cup was a massive letdown. Given that it is the biggest stage in world football, it is only fitting that the biggest names participate.
Karim Benzema’s imperious 2021-22 run helped him win the UEFA Champions League and La Liga title with Real Madrid and earn the Ballon d’Or for the first time in his career. However, little did one expect that the prestigious award would also have a role to play in Benzema’s exclusion from the World Cup.
Romain Molina reports that the Real Madrid striker’s decision to not give Didier Deschamps any credit at the Ballon d’Or ceremony set off a chain reaction. It angered the coach and the staff, souring relations with the player.
Regardless of the friction, the veteran striker was called up for the World Cup squad and began training with the group.
However, he was sent back at the earliest possible moment, and it seems that the manager did not wait for a proper evaluation of Benzema’s injury before sending him back to Madrid.
Despite having the player fit and available for the knockouts, Deschamps neither called up Benzema nor acknowledged the possibility of him playing.
Now, the saga seems to have ended in the worst way possible with Benzema announcing his retirement from the National Team.
In seven league games for Real Madrid this season, the goalscorer has found the back of the net five times and provided one assist.
His start to the season has not been as explosive as one would have imagined, but there is the hope that he will channel his recent frustration to bring out his best in the second half of the season.
There is no way back for Eden Hazard at Real Madrid. The Belgian international has not given the management any reason to have faith in his abilities over his past four seasons at the club and is unsurprisingly the most important departure for the Merengues in the summer.
Hazard has one more year on his contract in Madrid. However, it is clear that Carlo Ancelotti does not trust him and that any potential replacement manager in the summer will echo his stance.
According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, Fenerbahce are willing to go all out to sign Hazard this summer. The Turkish side have made the former Chelsea their prime target, yet face a steep task ahead of them.
The 32-year-old is hellbent on seeing out his contract with Los Blancos despite seeing his career sink right before his eyes. It thus becomes complicated for the party to lure away the forward, especially in a competition outside Europe’s top five leagues.
Fenerbahce attempted to sign the winger in the recently concluded winter transfer market. They reached an agreement with Real Madrid but failed to get over the line as they could not convince the player of the move.
The biggest obstacle for the Turkish side will be convincing Hazard to make the move by letting go of his lucrative contract in Madrid. The chances are slim, but not impossible.
Hazard has made just three league appearances and one start for Ancelotti’s side this season in La Liga, a steep fall from last season’s 18 and seven respectively.
His last appearance for the team came back in January when Real Madrid faced Cacereno in the Copa del Rey. In La Liga however, he last played in September 2022 in a 4-1 win over Mallorca.
