Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti says Karim Benzema has become much more of a leader since Cristiano Ronaldo left the Spanish team in the summer of 2018.
Ronaldo parted ways with Real Madrid in 2018 after nine glorious years at the club. During his time in the LaLiga team, Ronaldo was Real Madrid’s main goalscorer.
Benzema took much more of a leading role at Los Blancos since Ronaldo’s departure from the club. The Frenchman improved his game after Ronaldo’s departure and since then has established himself as one of the best footballers in the world.
In fact, he scored 44 goals in all competitions for Real Madrid in the 21/22 season, as they won the La Liga and Champions League titles. His sensational performance for Real Madrid last season also saw the 34-year-old win the 2022 Ballon d’Or earlier this week.
“He is much more of a leader”: Carlo Ancelotti on Karim Benzema
“He is a player who has much more responsibility, he feels much more like a leader,” Ancelotti said of Benzema. “The quality of him hasn’t changed, it’s the same as eight years ago. But he has changed his responsibility to the team, and his attitude. He is much more of a leader.”
Benzema has been playing for Real Madrid since joining the club in the summer of 2019. He signed for Real Madrid the same summer they signed Ronaldo for a world record transfer fee.
Benzema has so far played 615 games with Real Madrid and has already added 328 assists. The Frenchman has played 10 games for Real Madrid this season and has racked up five goals.
His last goal for Real Madrid came in a 3-1 victory over FC Barcelona in the Clásico. Benzema put Real Madrid ahead in the 12th minute of the match between the two fierce rivals.
Benzema placed the ball in the back of the net after a rebound after Marc-Andre Ter Stegen saved Vinicius Jr.’s shot.
Meanwhile, the victory over Barcelona moved Real Madrid to first place in the La Liga points table. Ancelotti’s men are undefeated in the Spanish top flight so far this season and have 25 points in nine games.
Meanwhile, the defeat saw Barcelona slip to second place in the table. That was also Barcelona’s first league loss of the season. The Catalan team has 22 points in nine games.
