Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid Football Club’s home ground is akin to Nou Camp of Barcelona, Manchester United’s Old Trafford, Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, Liverpool’s Anfield and many of their ilk. The Bernabeu has seen countless battles won and lost since December 1947 when it was opened for play and this battle scarred stadium is no less reminiscent of Rome’s great Colosseum. Today’s post is inspired by a similar battle which unfolded at the Bernabeu on 13th April 2022 and the player who made a telling statement in the midst of this battle.
The UEFA Champions League is one of the most prestigious competitions held every year to find the best Football Club in Europe and has a history of several unforgettable and riveting clashes. This year’s Quarter Final between Real Madrid, the Spanish giants and the English powerhouse and defending Champions Chelsea earned a place in history. The Quarter Final is decided by the aggregate of goals scored by both the teams over two games. The First game or the first leg as they say was held at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s fortress on 7th April. The result was a big surprise. Karim Benzema scored a hat trick for Real Madrid that night and the visitors beat Chelsea 3-1 thus taking a big lead over Chelsea and almost certain of going through to the semi finals.
Chelsea, with their pride hurt and a title to defend turned up the heat in the second leg at the Bernabeu six days later. The rampaging forwards of Chelsea drilled down three goals and took a 4-3 lead on aggregate with just 10 minutes to go. The comeback from Chelsea was not only spectacular, it had blown away the wind from Real Madrid’s sails. There was shock all around. But it is said that the atmosphere at the Bernabeu is such that it does not let a team give up. Rodrygo eventually scored for Real Madrid in a last gasp effort in the 80th minute to level the aggregate score at 4-4 and pushed the contest into extra time and as destiny would have it Benzema, buried a header and scored for Real Madrid in extra time dashing Chelsea’s hopes. A desperate Chelsea went for an all out attack threatening to score every minute, but Real Madrid held on and survived. It was like two team of gladiators involved in a pitched battle in the Arena, but then only one could live. It was Benzema who had delivered the killer punch and had taken his team to the Semi Finals. The media termed the contest ‘ Unreal’.
Karim Benzema had turned out to be Real Madrid’s hero that day. The 34 year old enigmatic saviour had proved his worth once again. Born to Algerian parents in Lyon France, Benzema made headlines when he burst on the scene with Lyon Football Club. He was brash, brilliant and breathtaking, something which the French revered. The young kid on the block was praised about far and wide. However as time panned out Benzema, though blessed with a rare talent and goal scoring skills did not quite matchup to expectations and somewhat underplayed his talent. He moved to Real Madrid from Lyon in 2009 but for long was not their main striker. He always remained in the shadow of some player or the other who performed better than him.
His stint with the French National Team too was chequered and post 2015 he was not picked for 5 years to play for his National side due to a controversy off the field. It appeared as if Benzema’s graph was sliding down and the critics did not give him much of a chance to play for France again. In the interim Benzema didn’t give up. He was ageing, but working harder and harder and getting better and better by the day. His performances at Real Madrid began to improve and started to have a consequential effect on the team. Karim Benzema was named in the Team of the season in the Spanish league every year post 2018 and was named the player of the League for the 20/21 season.
The world was watching the Benzema which they had always wanted to see. His goal scoring sprees made Real Madrid dominant in Spain as well as in the whole of Europe and eventually Benzema was selected and scripted his return to his National Team in 2020. What Karim Benzema has achieved happens rarely. You hardly see a player reinvent himself and find his mojo at a time when in most cases the careers are over. Benzema stuck with Real Madrid and so did Real Madrid stick with Benzema. They supported him wholeheartedly and played a major role in his Renaissance. It would be fair to say that Benzema is as much a Real Madridian as he is French.
He absorbed all the criticism, the pain and the hardships, but did not lose focus. Its never too late to reinvent, to refocus and charter a new path, is a lesson learnt and the fans would be waiting to see him play at the World Cup later this year as France prepares to defend their World Title.
Karim Benzema is truly an inspirational story, a legend, one from the Sports Stable again.