Benzema goes for the Pichichi

With the Zamora Trophy practically in Courtois' gloves, Madrid still looks askance at another individual award. Benzema has the Pichichi within three goals. With his goal in Granada he adds 19, for the 22 that Leo Messi accredits. Since the resumption of LaLiga Santander, the Frenchman has scored 5 and the Argentinean 3. A last double day of inspiration for the Real Madrid player can consecrate him as the top scorer in the League (it is not a crazy thing: in the last two games, the white man has cut two goals to the Barca), an honor that was unattainable in the past against the duopoly formed by Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo with sustained seasons of more than 40 and up to 50 goals.

Benzema has kept the pulse of Messi for a good part of the season. In the first third of the league, with the Catalan player injured several games, the Real Madrid player remained above. Karim felt bad about sorpasso. It occurred on matchday 16, when Messi made a hat-trick to Mallorca and Benzema somewhat to Espanyol. The white striker would score a goal in Mestalla the next day that gave him a point in extremis to Zidane's, but then he fell into a bad streak that now weighs him down for the Pichichi. In the eleven league games prior to confinement, he only scored two goals: Atlético in the derby and Betis in the last game before the break. The League, which went on Christmas holidays with a 13-12 in the goalscoring duel, closed at home with a 20-14 in the box for both.

A drought, that one, that has not prevented mark in all the months (ten) in which there has been official competition this season. In the League he missed his appointment with the goal in January, but saved the month with a goal to Zaragoza in the round of 16. He scored 2 goals in August, 3 in September, 2 in October, 7 in November (4 of them in Champions), 2 in December, 1 in January (the Cup), another in February, another in March, 3 in June and 2 in July. 24 in total.

The fight for Pichichi would be tighter or even tilted in favor of Benzema if he had been in charge of shooting penalties at Real Madrid. He has transformed four, one less than Messi. Karim scored from eleven meters against Leganés, Eibar, Betis and Alavés. In the first two, Ramos left them after the central defender already scored in that same game; before the Green and Whites, he handed over the responsibility so that, as the captain recognized, he would regain his confidence when he had a bad scoring streak; and in front of Alavés the one from Camas was in the stands by sanction. Who knows if a more magnanimous Ramos (has launched six penalties in the League, all with success) would now have Benzema one step away from that Pichichi …