Real Madrid: Karim Benzema is one of the most underrated strikers in Europe

At 31-years old, French marksman Karim Benzema is having a campaign for the ages, solidifying himself as one of the top finishers in the world with his current form.

For Karim Benzema, age simply doesn’t matter. The La Liga’s top scorer and Real Madrid’s main man up top, Benzema has bagged 33 goals in this calendar year alone, which puts him third in all of Europe. This term, he’s scored 10 domestic goals in just 12 appearances, while also tallying four assists. In Champions League competition, Benzema has netted four times in just five matches, raising his total to 14 goals across all competitions this year in just 17 fixtures.

He’s already matched his total of goals and assists in UCL play from last year, with another match left in the group stage and the round of 16 still to play.  He’s also grabbed a total of six assists in that span, proving to be a complete striker who has the ability to do everything possible in the final third.

Benzema has proved to be one of the most important players for Zinedine Zidane‘s side over the last two seasons, starting all but one of Madrid’s last 70 matches dating back to 2018/19. Last year, he scored 29 goals in 49 appearances, but at the rate he’s finding the net right now, he sure looks to be surpassing that total this term.

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Ever since Cristiano Ronaldo left the Bernabeu for Juventus, Benzema has had a lot more freedom as Madrid’s primary striker and it’s safe to say his current form is arguably the best of his career, lighting up the score sheet at an uncanny rate. Benzema is currently the fifth-best scorer in Europe’s top five leagues, sitting behind the likes of Jamie Vardy and Robert Lewandowski, who are both the leading scorers in the Premier League and Bundesliga.

Brilliant against PSG

Madrid absolutely outclassed PSG on Wednesday but gave up two late goals to the French giants to overshadow Benzema’s double in a 2-2 draw. But it’s hard to ignore how lethal Madrid’s main goal-scorer was in this match. He was roaming all across the final third, constantly finding space to receive passes from his midfielders where he could knock it back to them then find more space to run into. He also held the ball up many times, using his skill and physical presence to protect it from PSG’s backline who looked simply overwhelmed by the havoc Benzema was creating in this huge clash.

His first goal was the perfect example of his brilliant sense as a goal-driven striker. Madrid moved the ball up beautifully, with the end result seeing Isco hit a strike in the six-yard box which clung off the post. Benzema sensed the possible danger and was right there to hit it home. His second goal was very clinical. Luka Modric surged into the final third on the counter-attack, found Isco who was on the corner of the box. He flicked a header onto Marcelo, who was sprinting down the left flank. The Brazilian put a perfect ball across and Benzema converted with a strong header to beat Navas. You could see the Frenchman anticipating a possible cross soaring in from the left, calmly roaming in the six-yard box until he saw the ball come in where he then beat fellow countrymen Presnel Kimpembe.

The complete striker

Benzema has proven that he can score from anywhere in the final third, whether it’s with his left, right, or head. His combination of skill, speed, and ruthlessness in front of goal definitely makes him one of the most exciting number nines in European Football currently.

The fact that Benzema has such a unique eye for a pass as well makes him even more clinical. His assists numbers are extremely impressive for a center-forward. His selflessness is an absolute treat to watch. When Ronaldo was still in Madrid, he grabbed most of the spotlight and for good reason, because he was doing the majority of the scoring himself. Even though the 31-year old Benzema still bagged his fair share of tallies, he didn’t get the recognition because Ronaldo stole the headlines on a daily basis.

Now, he’s Zidane’s primary source of scoring for Real Madrid. The French National Team has decided to not recall Benzema, which could definitely be a mistake given his breathtaking form. It’s important to note that Olivier Giroud, his replacement, isn’t even playing regular football at Chelsea. Since the 2009/10 season, Benzema is the leading scorer amongst all French players, netting 158 times in that span, 20 goals ahead of Antoine Griezmann who is second on the list.

But if Benzema keeps up his goal-scoring frenzy, there is little doubt that Didier Deschamps will come calling for next summer’s European Championships.