Real Madrid: 3 reasons why Karim Benzema merits POTY consideration in LaLiga
Karim Benzema is in the form of his life. Though he hasn’t scored in two of his last three appearances, his tactical awareness and creativity have aided Real Madrid to produce positive results to their benefit in absence of big players in a crucial week of the season. In the league too, the Madrid No 9 has been a perfect ‘10’ with his performances and will make for a serious candidate for the league’s Player of the Year (POTY) award. Here are the reasons why Big Benz deserves to be considered for POTY in LaLiga.
1. Karim Benzema’s finishing has turned the season around
Deciding a league’s best player is always an intense affair. Truth be told, maintaining a good statistical record only makes the job half done. Last year, Karim Benzema was rated the player of the season in the league despite Lionel Messi’s individual masterclass of a season where he finished with the most number of goals and assists. And, the story this year has been similar so far.
On paper, Benzema has a decent record for a CF, which arguably is a tough position to play for Real Madrid. He has scored 19 goals and assisted for 6. This means he is nearing one goal contribution per match, having played 26 games for Los Blancos in the league so far. Messi, on the other hand, has 23 goals and 10 assists to his name, per WhoScored.com. A relatively better record than Benz, but it is the on-field impact that counts.
Halfway through the league campaign, Real Madrid was struggling, 10 points below leaders Atletico Madrid. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that from that point to today when they are in touching distance of the title, Benzema’s goals have been the difference. In a few matches in particular including El Clasico, El Derbi, and the matchups against Celta Vigo, Elche, and Athletic Club, it was Benzema’s finish that helped Real Madrid rescue a point or two. He has indeed turned the season around in a couple of months by finding the crucial finishes at the right time.