A real race against time. The question of the presence of Karim Benzema, Tuesday, February 15 against PSG, will be decided no later than Monday, February 14, at the end of the last training session of Madrid. That is 24 hours, only, before the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League. After a turbulent week, where all scenarios have been considered, the trend is towards optimism on the side of the Spanish capital.
Hit in the left hamstring on January 23, during the league match against Elche (2-2), the 34-year-old tricolor international saw his injury take longer than expected to resolve. If the star striker is not in the group to face Villarreal (24th day), this Saturday at 4:15 p.m., Real Madrid has not given up, quite the contrary, to be able to align its top scorer (24 goals and 13 assists all competitions combined), for the European shock of February 15.
“The feelings, whether that of the player, mine or the doctors, are good,” said Carlo Ancelotti at a press conference on Friday. Before qualifying: “We have to wait for him to resume training with the team. He will do it on Sunday or Monday and there we will make a decision. »
For a week, KB9 has been working away from the group. Nevertheless, the club and the player put all the chances on their side. The Frenchman is not reluctant to the task, as he is used to, chaining physical exercises to get back in shape before Paris. Thus, this Friday, he arrived at 9 a.m. to work at the sports city of Real, multiplying the efforts, while the rest of the workforce was not to start training until 4 p.m.
The nature of his injury, subject to a high risk of relapse, calls for caution, however. ” No risk does not exist. But there is the health of the player above all, specified Ancelotti. There will be no risk taken. If we think Karim can play, he will do so without risk. If there is one, even minimal, it will not play. »
“A very important player”
Well aware of Benzema’s contribution on and off the pitch, Ancelotti hopes the Frenchman will be restored in time. “Karim is a very important player for us, analyzed on the radio Cadena Ser, on February 9, his teammate in attack, Marco Alonso. With a player of his caliber, our opponents change the way they play. »
A detrimental absence since the offensive sector seems to have lost its fluidity in the absence of the former Lyonnais (one goal in two games). Even Ancelotti, not very keen on turnover this season, does not seem to have found the parade, twice aligning Asensio and Isco in a position of false number 9. Luka Jovic, yet a natural substitute for Benzema, has been tested just 34 minutes against Granada last week, without success. In trouble with his adductors, left-back Ferland Mendy, also absent against Villarreal, will be restored to face PSG assured Carlo Ancelotti.