With Karim Benzema not living up to the expectations expected of him, Madrid Coach- Jose Mourinho – is hopeful that the French striker is able to pull things around.
“I have always believed that players should be held responsible, The coach is nothing more than a collaborator. It is up to the player. Much has been written about him, but the majority of it is untrue. He isn’t playing well, but he isn’t dead. He is very much alive and I called him up [for the match against Hercules tomorrow]. We hope he can improve because he has the potential. Other teams have great players in similar situations and nothing has been said about them. Football is like this. Strikers feed off goals. Tomorrow he will start on the bench and if he has to play, he will. We have a good relationship.”
After paying 35 million euros for his services, the former Lyon player has been struggling to find a spot on the starting XI. With many big name clubs interested in the signing the young 22-year-old, I believe it’s only a matter of time before Madrid have to give up and look at other possibilities that are available to them.
However, there is one player that Mourinho is very impressed with and that is non-other than Cristiano Ronaldo who has been on a tear since the start of the season.
“Cristiano is an incredible team player. He won two games with Portugal and has won every game with Real Madrid this month. That’s all that matters to the two of us. I knew the player, not the person. Now I know him and he is a true winner. He is always concerned about the team and about winning. He has had a fantastic month, he is in great form and he wants to continue.”
Think that Benzema will be with the club much longer? What player can you see Madrid trading Benzema for? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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