Karim Benzema is and has been Real Madrid‘s number nine for just over a decade. While his primary focus is putting the ball in the back of the net, the number of assists the French international has contributed might impress you more than his goal scoring tally.
Karim Benzema is still on fire. The striker has adopted the role that Cristiano Ronaldo left behind and I think it is now safe to say that the Big Benz has embraced that role phenomenally. Seemingly always getting a touch on the ball or making a run to distract the defense, Karim is the driving force up front for Real Madrid.
Now I know Eden Hazard is more talented than Benz and is more expensive, but it’s hard to make an argument for the Belgian international being the leader when he has not featured in a match for nearly three months.
Karim has gone from a utility depth player to the striker in seemingly every manager’s formation that has been in charge of Los Blancos. One of the main factors in that is his ability to pass the ball with his teammates and get to the right place at the right time.
According to reports – which I cannot confirm at this time – Karim Benzema is just two assists away from becoming Real Madrid’s all-time leader.
What I can do is provide you with the stats that I know of for sure. Karim has racked up 105 assists since joining Real Madrid during the summer of 2009 in league play, international club competitions, and domestic cups.
We also know for a fact that CR7 holds the club record for goals and assists but the total number of assists is a bit uncertain.
From what I have seen in my hours of research, it is somewhere between 125 and 131. So, while I won’t say for sure Karim is two assists away from breaking that record, it is certain that he is very very close.
More importantly, who would’ve thought a striker would ever reach a milestone like this?
Benz has heard the whistles and boos at the Santiago Bernabéu many times, but his mental fortitude and persistence have vaulted him in the conversation of ‘best Real Madrid striker of all-time.’