Real Madrid’s talisman striker Karim Benzema has the numbers many forwards would love to boast: this season, he’s got 18 goals and five assists in 26 games. But compare it to the Frenchman’s stats from last season – and you’ll see that the dip in his form is worrying.Throughout the 2021/22 campaign, Benzema notched 44 goals in 46 games as he romped to a string of personal honours and trophies with Los Blancos. Those numbers look well beyond his reach now.MARCA: Carlo Ancelotti sees Benzema, Modrić and Kroos as the backbone of Real Madrid. He has made it clear that the trio are untouchable. pic.twitter.com/XivTBO6Qap— Real Madrid News (@onlyrmcfnews) March 5, 2023 It’s hard to say what’s the matter with this class goalscorer. Well, actually, it is – but there are so many things that have gone wrong. The series of muscle injuries in his left leg forced him to be out for 85 days and miss 23 matches, making his physical condition with a lot to be desired. Mentally, he had to deal with the stress of getting injured in the weeks leading up to the World Cup, travelling to Qatar and struggling to get fit, only to fall out with the national coach Didier Deschamps and fly back home without playing a minute for Les Bleus. And then, there is the elephant in the room – his age. At 35, getting back to your best takes much more than before.Real Madrid don’t have an alternative to Benzema’s goals, resulting in a nine-point gulf between them and table-topping Barcelona. The Royal Club is banking on the former Lyon youngster to lead their attack until mid-2024. However, if this season ends trophy-less, there will be conversations and decisions to be made. The failed move to bring in Kylian Mbappe is likely to be revived.##NAJAVA_MECA_7069114##The inconsistency has been the big issue with Benzema this season. He’s still capable of delivering a masterclass, like the one at Anfield when he punished Liverpool over and over again in their UEFA Champions League clash. But there were days he looked too tired and flat to make things happen in front of the goal. Since that night at Anfield, he’s gone three games without finding the net.However, despite Benz’s drop in form, Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti can’t imagine any game plan that doesn’t involve the Frenchman. “It’s not possible to score in every game. Karim doesn’t worry me, because I see him well, in good physical condition. Certainly better than in the first part of the season. In attack, we are doing very well. We have scored the most goals in the league. He has failed in some specific moments, but nothing more. But there is no attacking problem because we are the top scorers in La Liga.”
The draught is currently at 139 minutes. For any other player, it would be nothing out of the ordinary. But Karim Benzema is not ordinary – and he never was.