Zidane lauds Benzema magic in Real’s triumph
Striker rises to the occasion
Madrid – Real Madrid and Karim Benzema have each endured rather underwhelming seasons so far by their own high standards but both know how to rise to a big occasion.
Benzema’s double knocked out Bayern Munich on Tuesday and sent Real through to their fourth Champions League final in five years, thanks to a 2-2 draw on the night and a 4-3 win on aggregate.
That Benzema proved the difference was testament to the bravery of Zinedine Zidane, who in picking the striker ignored the whistles of Real’s fans in recent weeks as well as a miserable scoring run that showed him score just once in 12 matches.
But it was also credit to Benzema, whose weaving run led to Isco’s decisive goal against Atletico Madrid in the semis last year and who scored the winner in 2014, also in the semis, also against Bayern, in a 1-0 win in the first leg.
France may be wondering what they will be missing at the World Cup in Russia next month. “I expected him to score goals again,” Zidane said. “He has got two and he has given us the chance to go through.”
Benzema’s contribution was not entirely of his own making given his second at the Santiago Bernabeu was a gift, presented after a poor back pass from Corentin Tolisso and an even worse attempt to clear by Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich. But his habit of delivering when it matters most is not down to luck, just as Real scrapping to another European final is not undeserved.
Their progress owed gratitude both to Bayern’s individual errors and the generosity of referee Cuneyt Cakir, who failed to spot a Marcelo handball at 1-1, just before half-time.
Real head to Barcelona for Sunday’s “clasico”, a match between the unbeaten La Liga champions and, perhaps, the European champions for a third year in a row.
He has got two and he has given us a chance to go through