2. CF Karim Benzema
Real Madrid center forward Karim Benzema has been on a tear recently. At one point, he had seven goals in seven games. The streak was broken vs. Liverpool, but Benzema still managed to make a significant impact on the match as a creative influence in the 3-1 victory. And then he went ahead and scored a beautiful backheel to open the scoring in a 2-1 Clasico win.
All told, Benzema is, yet again, a serious candidate to win the Pichichi. He is on 19 goals and is saving his best goal-scoring work for the final stretch of the season when Real Madrid need him. And goodness, do they need him. Benz has nearly four times as many goals as the man in second, Casemiro with five. So if this were a list purely about value to Real Madrid, Benzema would be in first, hands down.
In addition to his 19 goals, Benzema has six assists and 1.2 dribbles completed per game. He averages a key pass per game. Benz is so consistent that even when he’s not finishing well, he makes up for it with his creativity. And if he seems quiet for much of the match, he often makes up for it with a late goal that gives Real an important result.
I shudder to think where Real would be these last two seasons without Benz. He was instrumental in last season’s title triumph under Zizou, and he’s been just as good this year. And if he finishes the season at this pace, he could end up with his best campaign in years. It is a blessing to have a striker as well-rounded as him.