A big dilemma with Benzema

The latest tests carried out on Benzema have been frustrating for Madrid's coaching staff. There is an injury and it is very small. Benzema could risk and play the first leg of the round of 16 against Atalanta. The question is the risk that would take. A great dilemma for Zidane. He and Benzema will have the floor. A more serious injury could be much worse. The French will be doubtful until a few minutes before the trip to Italy. The feeling is that he will not be able to be there and you have to start drawing a game without him.

It is more difficult for Madrid to survive without Benzema, but has taken things forward in the absence of the French forward. Karim had to take the reins of goalkeeping for the Whites when Cristiano Ronaldo left. And he has responded with even better numbers than the Portuguese in Turin. Almost a third of Madrid's goals since CR7 left were made by the French. His injury (it is a serious doubt to visit Atalanta, waiting for the resonance that they will make this Sunday) represents a severe setback for Zidane's team, but the whites learn to carry out the games without their undisputed 9. The one in Valladolid was the eleventh game that Benzema has missed in the last seasons and a half. Madrid won six of them, drew two and lost three, with a winning percentage of 54.6%. When he is, the ratio rises slightly to 60.5%.

The goalscoring balance is in line with the low production of Madrid since he said goodbye to Cristiano. 19 goals in 11 games, at a rate of 1.73 goals per game (the average for the last two and a half years is 1.88). But it has a nuance: among those 11 clashes there is one in the Cup in which Madrid endorsed Melilla 6-1. Discounting that commitment, the average drops to 1.3 points per game (13 goals in 10 games). Practically the 1.35 goals on average that Madrid would take without the 74 goals of the French in the post-Christian era.

The results of Madrid when they have not been able to have Benzema have been in line with the general moment of the team. In 2018-19 he missed four games. Solari gave him a break in the round of 16 of the Cup against Melilla (6-1). The broken finger for which he continues to wear the splint that has become a hallmark prevented him from being in the round of 16 in Butarque (1-0 in favor of Leganés inconsequential for the resolution of the tie after the 3-0 of the Going). With Zidane back on the bench, he missed the defeat (1-0) in Vallecas against Rayo and the victory (3-2, with a double from Mariano) against Villarreal.

Last season the Whites successfully settled Karim's three absences. Zidane gave him rest in the victory (2-0) against Osasuna, in one of the last great nights of unit B. In January he missed both matches of the Spanish Super Cup due to a blow to his left leg. Madrid successfully eliminated Valencia (1-3) in the semifinals and won the title after beating Atlético in the final penalty shoot-out after 0-0 in regulation time.

This season, Benzema's first loss coincided with one of the bumps in the team's irregular start. In November, after the blow he suffered at the Mestalla, he missed three games. Madrid drew (1-1) at Villarreal with a brilliant goal from Mariano at 105 seconds, they won meritoriously in Milan against Inter (0-2 with goals from Hazard and Rodrygo and fell to Alavés at Di Stéfano (1- 2). The goal against the babazorros was scored Casemiro, author of the victory goal in Valladolid. The Brazilian is, with six goals, the second top scorer in Madrid this season, behind Benzema, who has 17.

Of the 19 goals that Madrid scored without Benzema in the last two and a half years, the highest scored were Isco (two of them in the Cup) and Mariano with three goals each.