The Renaissance of Karim Benzema under Carlo Ancelotti

Karim Mostafa Benzema was born in the family of a poor Algerian emigrant as hiss family had 9 children and all of them lived in a small house which was situated in the centre of a district in Lyon called Bron, not well off. They pursued quite a modest lifestyle and Karim began to attend football classes out of curiosity to educate his mind. He was spotted quite soon and offered to begin a professional footballer’s preparation where he embarked upon school, being described as "discreet and respectful"- alongside with practising football, but he did not succeed within the sciences, mostly due to football being in the mind of young Karim predominantly.



Just by the age of 17, Karim Benzema became an absolute phenom within Lyon's reserve team and by age 19, became a first-team starter within a very competitive Lyon. Yet his performances went beyond the measure of just talent based on mere expectations of a youth, as he scored many important goals within the Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League, showing up mostly on the finest stages of football. Yet where he was praised is not due to the empty stat of his goals, but what he offered Lyon in his characteristics. Just by the age of 20 and under the guidance of Gérard Houllier, Karim Benzema absolutely terrorized defences scoring 27 goals and 10 assists in 43 appearances (7 of them off the bench. Where he differed was carrying the ball from deep and thrusting himself upon the defences Ligue 1 or Champions League pockets of space to which optimized upon the movement of his peers. Talented strikers have the ability to occupy their marker yet Karim showed the ability to occupy the whole defensive line, in the process displaying his remarkable intelligence on the ball, never keeping his head down in the process. Defences could not predict his element of play due to his ambidexterity and unpredictable change of pace used to torque himself into the finest positions to score goals. His technical ability was unprecedented to which earned him immensely high expectations yet he replicated the same next year with 27 goals and 8 assists in less appearances then the previous season. His career in Lyonnais was of 4 Ligue 1 in 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08 1 Coupe de France in 2007–08 2 Trophée des Champions in 2006, 2007. A stellar achievement for such a youth.  


After garnering mass attention from the finest clubs in the world seeking his talent. Lyon eventually succumbed the Florentino Perez' galactico project in which on 1 July 2009, it was announced that Lyon had reached an agreement Real Madrid for the transfer of Benzema. The transfer fee was priced at €35 million with the fee rising to as much as €41 million based on incentives provided. His presentation in the Santiago Bernabéu in front of 30,000 Madrileños was overshadowed by the 60,000 attendance for Ricky Kaká and a full Bernabéu for Cristiano Ronaldo yet here was a 21 year old taking Europe by the storm at a nascent age to which his fellow Galaticos didn't perform to his frequency.



His début was a pre-season friendly versus Shamrock Rovers in which along with Cristiano Ronaldo, he scored the games only goal to cap off a 1-0 win showing his established confidence. Yet through the course of the season in Real Madrid, it came to a disappointment despite him being the G, mostly due to him falling out of competition with a high staked Cristiano Ronaldo and an already settled Gonzalo Higuaín who was opted for by Pellegrini given that Karim could not find space in the system to forced in Cristiano Ronaldo by default along with Kaká and a congruent Higuaín. Pellegrini failed to realize the intangibles that Benzema could provide, opting for specialists in the from of Ronaldo and Higuaín on their complimentary play to each other while his youth presented more a disadvantage to his stake on claim within the starting XI. It did not help that Raúl would receive more appearances based on his Real Madrid status and element of consistency to which set example to a timid Karim. A Marca blogger went as far as to call him the 'New Anelka' based on the similarities of their circumstances. Yet given the trust of Florentino Perez in his investment and the obvious case that Benzema was young and needed time to settle in the gargantuan confines of Real Madrid, expectations were that Karim would be primed to unleash his potential within the course of next year as Jose Mourinho arrived, just after his Champions League with Internazionale in 2010.

Benzema further was given burden by the number on his back switched from #11 to #9, Mourinho who declared to reporters during a pre-season media session that "Benzema must understand that he is extremely talented, but that in itself is not enough". Mourinho's relentless pressure upon a rather indolent Karim caused a fire to spark within the Frenchman, catching the Madrid faithful by surprise in his newborn zest within the field on all dimensions. Under Mourinho he scored 26 goals and 9 assists, 6 goals from 8 apps within Europe and tremendously improving a rather unimaginative front flank, spurned out of his ingenuity with the ball and capping off goals just for the bonus. Even under his brief droughts he assisted his team-mates and consistently created plays leading the notion that Benzema must be used closer to an Italian SS than a pure #9 behind the ball. Emilio Butragueño, as well as national team manager Laurent Blanc praised Karim's meteoric rise in to which 2nd half of the season he well reached the expectations of Madrileños and Florentino Perez. It also caused danger to the place of Gonzalo Higuain who remained consistent yet failed to show up on the larger occasions along with offering tangibly less to Mourinho's counter-attacking semantic.

2011-12 Karim Benzema had a stellar season, scoring 35 goals and 15 assists (8 in Europe), establishing himself as the leader of the line within Real Madrid as the arrival of Özil complimented Benzema's creative dimension rather than overshadowing it. Benzema tactically still faced incongruity with a zealous Cristiano Ronaldo yet under Mourinho, it was a fusion of synonymous play in the counter-attack to which every player was allowed the desired freedom within their dimension of attack. Leading to Jose Mourinho winning the La Liga and Copa Del Rey over Pep Guardiola's Barcelona with the assistance from Karim's vital goals as their prime #9. Jose Mourinho garnered praise for his guidance to bring Benzema from the delicate youth intimidated by his surroundings, into the quietly confident individual he was in Lyon.


2012-13 Benzema was afforded the evolution of his role. Rather than being a pure #9, he evolved in between the lines as an Italian type SS into which his creativity and decisions on the ball took equal precedence to the goals he scored. He remained unfortunate by the reduced appearances due to the stiff competition by Gonzalo Higuain yet with Florentino Perez' backing and the element of intangibility Benzema added to the game, he reached a level into which tolerance was afforded should any inconsistency reach his game. He did not establish himself tactically important yet his 50 appearances were of an element to which simply augmented the field of play for Mourinho's semantic, especially when Özil was exposed for his limits and inability to show up on the grander stage versus superior defences. Benzema scored 15 less than his previous year yet 8 assists more to which established him in the SS role as Real Madrid's most complete threat when it came to blending intelligence and technique.



Yet as with all Jose Mourinho tutelage, his short-term exertion of Benzema reached its toll. Mourinho failed to evolve his barbaric siege mentality to which disillusioned not only Karim, yet the Madrid locker room as a whole. Benzema's initiative of last year where he underwent a strict weight loss program was marred by a more liberal lifestyle outside the pitch, as an outlet by the searing pressure that an inconsistent 'leader' Mourinho applied upon him as this short term attempt at augmenting Benzema's reached an in congruent stage to which did not cater to the needed evolution on his cognition, as such was the illusion of Mourinho's false leadership. Mourinho lost the plot within the dressing room as even the presence of Zinedine Zidane in the higher echelons in Real Madrid did not suffice when Karim sought solace in his advice. The clash of philosophies from Zidane as the diplomat of Real Madrid under Perez and a completely erratic Mourinho created a line of flux into which a disillusioned Benzema could not navigate himself out of. His introspective characteristics were not fit to handle the cauldron of dis balance that was reaching a boiling point in the failure project of Mourinho.



After a disastrous season and project from Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti was lured in from a successful season in Paris Saint Germain. His quiet leadership and composure along with Champions League DNA as a player and manager was deemed to suit what Florentino Perez envisioned for Real Madrid.

Typically of Carlo Ancelotti. The portly Italian took his dear time in pre-season and the 1st half of Real Madrid's season to formulate a distinct formation to which would compliment all his players, Cristiano Ronaldo remained priority #1. Benzema even during invisible performances managed to score, a rather unusual display of fortitude given the absolution of when he would perform or not. Come the current date of February 28th 2014, Karim Benzema in 35 appearances (7 from the bench) has 20 goals and 10 assists nigh halfway throughout the season. His goal rate AND assist rate to time ratio has been the higher than his phenomenal 2007/08 season as the consistency element has reached an optimum to which he sets the example for the new signings in the form of Gareth Bale and Real Madrid starlet, Jese Rodriguez.

Where has Carlo Ancelotti succeeded? Carlo Ancelotti was named "Il Gladiatore" within his successful playing career in AC Milan. Yet Carlo the manager is stark contrast to the barbarian that covered ground under Sacchi and Capello and into a "tall glass of cool water" exuding class that has earned him the utmost respect of the Italian, English and French media. His gentlemanly conduct and appreciation for the finer arts of life, is just a testament to his class. He carries this requisite into his managerial status, expecting his players to practice professionalism rather than exert relentless pressure in the archaic form Mourinho utilized. Like Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlo has given elements of freedom for his two finest stars to which has had them undergo a metamorphosis of professionalism to which was absent within the turmoil and tribulations in a previously broken locker room. Benzema has undergone even a physical transformation from the rather unimpressive physique into a leaner and more agile provost while his previously guileless eyes have the look of a determination only shortly present under Mourinho. The responsibility he has undertaken from Ancelotti moulding him has created the needed focal crux in the point of Real Madrid's final third to which even a demanding Cristiano Ronaldo cannot waver as such is the improvement of Benzema. I said that if there is a player that Carlo Ancelotti will harness most, it will be Benzema as Carlo's inherent manager sees the a Shevchenko in Karim, a blend of flawless technique and ability to creat, straying away from the limits of modern #9s and throwing back into classic SS' who navigate space on the ball to alleviate space and pressure for his team-mates. Carlo's quiet moulding of Karim has had him understand the gravity of his situation, catering to the needed form of leadership to elevate not just the game of a consistent Benzema, but the much maligned mentality. Karim under Carlo is reported to be the first one in training and the last one off of it. Carlo closely assigning his friend and assistant manager Zinedine Zidane in a more hands-on role and a reflection of Carlo, Xabi Alonso has created the perfect blend of leadership and expectation to which isn't the patronizing element in their predecessors. It is the perfect environmental situation for Benzema and he has not failed to extract the advantages presented to him.

Karim Benzema now 26, has reached the penultimate stage of his evolution and finally meeting the expectations of the world class talent that was on display within a successful Lyon. Signs are little of him undergoing a relapse as previously done.




You've had a great career, Benz. Yet the phenomenon we all expected of you through all the criticisms you deserved and didn't deserve, we are seeing the boy turn into man. We are seeing a real Madridismo.

It's the beard I tell you.

(Yes, I read the whole thing and I 90% agree to it, well done Arq).

arq, it's "le phenomene est reveille" you messed up your verb

Oh and nice piece Arq. It's fair to say that he has reversed back to the form he had in 2011/2012. Quite clearly, not having to compete week in and week out with Higuain has helped him a great deal (Higuain btw also scoring left and right with napoli).

his first half of the season like you said was bad, he has since picked up form, so now it's a matter of seeing 1) if he can carry that form, 2) be a difference maker vs elite teams, 3) elevate on the level he has shown so far.

jury is still out, but he has improved a lot. I still miss the predatory like instincts and execution he had at lyon, but he is a different player now.

I'll say this... everyone gets harshly criticized at Madrid. It doesn't matter who it is. I mean Raul got criticized ffs and even booed lol. You have to deal with it as a player.

Both Karim and Higuain suffered from the constant harsh criticism and lack of confidence due to rotation. Now, they are both playing at their normal levels... it took them a few months since you can't just switch on + dealing with new tactical schemes. Good for both of them.

As far as Karim, he just needs to play. He only plays well when playing a lot... his style is predicated so much on technique and feel. You only get those at optimum level by being on the pitch because you need to adapt them to game speed. If you're not at optimum, you tend to look a step slow and clumsy. At optimum, you look graceful and fluid.

Carlo has given Karim the one thing he's never had at Madrid: The full confidence and support of his manager.

The amazing part is that he surpassed R9 in terms of goals and has averaged 20+ goals a season at Madrid (only his first season was less than 20) despite never being the regular for a season.

Good for him and i hope he can finish the season even stronger.

I read Sports lovely post (it actually was good, no sarcasm) and just remember he harshly criticizes Ronaldo as well.

Title is a bit hyperbole really.

He always got his numbers under Mourinho and the season before last he was outstanding.

To rejuvenate you need to go down and as far as I'm concerned Benz is and has been one of the top strikers for a long time now.

Who got unfair criticism and was never as bad as people claimed. Lazy maybe but he always had an impact when it mattered.

i don't think it's fair to compare him to Lyon where he was the CR7 there... complete freedom to take any shot he wanted and take any risk he wanted.  He's more of a provider and opportunistic scorer with CR7 and now Bale.  If can't have that "score first"attitude by design, you're not going to be predatory...

His role is so unique that you don't know how to judge him...  sometimes he plays a 10, other times a 9 and, as Arqi put it, a SS as well.  Carlo adapts him to his tactic for a specific game.  He can do it with him since he can do it all.  He prefers to leave CR7 and Bale in their regular roles as much as possible, which is the right thing to do.

Mr Nick09 wrote:arq, it's "le phenomene est reveille" you messed up your verb

Isn't "réveiller" a reflective verb, so you have to say Karim s'est réveillé?

Or has my intermediate French schooling failed me?   

Pippo wrote:

Mr Nick09 wrote:arq, it's "le phenomene est reveille" you messed up your verb

Isn't "réveiller" a reflective verb, so you have to say Karim s'est réveillé?

Or has my intermediate French schooling failed me?   

Correct. You can also say "Karim se reveille". since you're talking about the present.

What I've found funny and contradictory in the past couple of years is that even if Benzema has been criticized as a Real Madrid striker, he has still constantly featured on wish-lists of fans of several other clubs. "Oh he hasn't been doing that well at Real. How much would we need to pay for him? A lot". "He's been riding the bench lately at Real... I'd love him at our club, though".

Therefore, I would call it a renaissance at Real Madrid for Benzema rather than a renaissance as a football player.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Title is a bit hyperbole really.

He always got his numbers under Mourinho and the season before last he was outstanding.

To rejuvenate you need to go down and as far as I'm concerned Benz is and has been one of the top strikers for a long time now.

Who got unfair criticism and was never as bad as people claimed. Lazy maybe but he always had an impact when it mattered.

yes I agree

There is a tangible shift in his attitude, I've pretty much defended him throughout, but what he's showing right now is more proving me wrong than his critics. I said if he don't get the ball, he won't succeed.

He's getting the ball less under Carlo, mainly because Carlo organizes the team quite strictly and encourages natural ball movement toward the wings rather than through the centre. Yet, he's and while I still feel the team as a whole should pass to him more, his own internal shift has elevated the team.

Good OP, good thread, solid   all around. Appreciated reading it very much.

He's on the right track for sure. He played his best game ever for Madrid against Schalke imo and I'm loving the fact that he is visibly making an effort to assert himself and not shy away.

Of course this could just be him pulling an Adebayor (gotta get dat contract extension yo) but for now he's doing great. Keep it up

I'll add this...  If CR7 goes back to his "me, me and then some more me" attitude up to the BdO ceremony, Benz will look poor again and he'll get blamed for whatever reason too.  The big reasons that he's doing so well lately is that a) CR7 is playing team ball since BdO (by his standards lol) and b) we got a 2 week run without CR7 due to suspension so Madrid had to attack as a team and Benz was a lot more involved than usual in the play.

Not sure how Cris "team ball" is anyway responsible for Benzema manning up. He did well yesterday and Cristiano was his usual dominant and imposing self.

I personally don't mind if he isn't scoring, what I really want from him (and what he did yesterday) is keep himself in good positions, show intensity and basically force the opposing CB's to pick him up.

At his worst he does none of the above and the CB's can just focus on what's in front of them. When he does do these things we get games like last night, Matip and Santanna were having a nightmare because they had no idea who to pick up and how to position themselves. At first they just stuck tight to Ronaldo but as the game went on they had to pick up Bale and Benzema, that imo is how it should be.

As easy as it is to hide in Cristiano's colossal shadow Benzema needs to be his own man and take responsibility for his own play if he wants to truly be great. Last night he showed that he can do that if he wants to.

oh come on....  if you can't get a pass or a shot with CR7 going full solo mode, it will affect you  Football is a team sport remember.  I know a lot of CR7 fans consider BdO a team trophy, but it's really not

Just statistically, Benz was averaging 2 shots per game prior to the BdO and he's gotten over 3,5 just about since.

sportsczy wrote:oh come on....  if you can't get a pass or a shot with CR7 going full solo mode, it will affect you  Football is a team sport remember.  I know a lot of CR7 fans consider BdO a team trophy, but it's really not

Just statistically, Benz was averaging 2 shots per game prior to the BdO and he's gotten over 3,5 just about since.

You know what you're doing isn't making a good case for Benzema at all. You're basically saying that Benzema can only play well if Ronaldo lets him, as if he were some delicate teenage girl.

I personally believe that Benzema can impose himself if he wants. I mean seriously in a thread where everyone is saying good things about Benzema you just had to get your excuses in there early just in case Benzema regressed back to his usual passive self.

"If Benzema goes back to being bad again it's Ronaldo's fault!!! I'm saying this before it happens so Benzema doesn't have to take any responsibility for his performances!!!"

lol

zealous come on now even higs averaged the same about as shots as benz with cr, cause cr is the focal point of the team, so if cr falls back and cooperate his strike partner can join in more often, remember when higs and cr was both going for the ball? cr kicked the shit out of higuain .

Cr worked with the team flawlessly,didn't force anything and still got off the same amount of shots 9-10 but they were in better positions, cr usually kicks couple from 40 yards, stop play to do stepovers or stare down the defender and then shoot through a crowd or miss place the pass.

LOL.

Carlo is not the one responsible for Benz's return to from.

It is the Muslim Brotherhood. Benz clearly have joined the MB, and since then he has been reaping holy rewards.

Sports is right as well. Expect Commandate CR to oust Benz in a coup and claim popular rebellion at some moment in the near future.

CR is at his worst when he gets into his own head and starts over thinking things. I agree that can affect the attack but more often than not Cris doesn't hurt the team's attacking flow when he's in the zone.

In any case I think Cris has bought in to Carlo's system, I doubt he'll feel the need to take over as much moving forward.

Lord Spencer wrote:LOL.

Carlo is not the one responsible for Benz's return to from.

It is the Muslim Brotherhood. Benz clearly have joined the MB, and since then he has been reaping holy rewards.

Sports is right as well. Expect Commandate CR to oust Benz in a coup and claim popular rebellion at some moment in the near future.

lmao 10/10 comment

It's that and also not forcing his way through several defenders with little chance of success...  CR7 is playing the simple pass to a teammate if a play isn't there, something he refused to do for the first half of the season on his quest to the BdO.  The problem that made me rage (and still does thinking about it lol) were as much the shots he took for himself as the lost opportunities caused by his crazy selfish play.  He just wouldn't pass the ball...  he was a black hole basically.

When CR7 plays within himself, he's magnificent for himself and the team.  i have no issue saying that.

sportsczy wrote:It's that and also not forcing his way through several defenders with little chance of success...  CR7 is playing the simple pass to a teammate if a play isn't there, something he refused to do for the first half of the season on his quest to the BdO.  The problem that made me rage (and still does thinking about it lol) were as much the shots he took for himself as the lost opportunities caused by his crazy selfish play.  He just wouldn't pass the ball...  he was a black hole basically.

When CR7 plays within himself, he's magnificent for himself and the team.  i have no issue saying that.

A reasonable point, can't say I disagree completely. I will say that it's perhaps a bit overstated but it is there.