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Real Madrid: 5 players who must step up with Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale out

By Kevin Parvizi

GETFAE, SPAIN- JANUARY 04: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Djene of FC Getafe and Luka Jovic of Real Madrid battle for the ball during the Liga match between Getafe CF and Real Madrid CF at Coliseum Alfonso Perez on January 4, 2020 in Getafe, Spain. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)
GETFAE, SPAIN- JANUARY 04: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Djene of FC Getafe and Luka Jovic of Real Madrid battle for the ball during the Liga match between Getafe CF and Real Madrid CF at Coliseum Alfonso Perez on January 4, 2020 in Getafe, Spain. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images) /
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Real Madrid won’t have star forwards Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale available in the Spanish Supercup semifinal against Valencia, so here are five players who must step up in their absences.

According to the official Real Madrid website, Karim Benzema will be unable to play in Wednesday’s Spanish Supercup semifinal against Valencia due to a left hamstring contusion. Meanwhile, Gareth Bale will also be out of Wednesday’s match with an infection in his upper respiratory tract. 

Hopefully, Benzema and Bale can get well soon, and it’s awful to hear they are going through an injury and infection, respectively.

In the meantime, here are five players who need to step up against Valencia – and maybe beyond – so that Los Blancos don’t miss a beat.

ST Luka Jovic

Luka Jovic looked fantastic in the final 15 minutes of Real Madrid’s 3-0 win over Getafe. He looked lively, pressing defenders and running all over the pitch to make ball recoveries. It’s clear that Jovic, who has scored just one goal so far in his first season with the club due to limited opportunities, wants to make a massive impression on the fans and Zinedine Zidane. After all, it was Zidane who lobbied for Real to purchase Jovic from Eintracht Frankfurt.

Jovic has shown tremendous instincts and hold-up play. On Wednesday, he’ll get an opportunity to play 90 minutes against a very good Valencia team, so this is his chance to show Madridistas that he is the future at the striker position.

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