Real Madrid’s star striker, Karim Benzema started the season in amazing style, scoring a brace in a 4-1 away win against Deportivo Alaves in Matchday 1 of the league. ‘Big Benz’ picked up absolutely from where he left off last season and a lot is expected out of the striker as we progress into the season.
One major expectation of all Madridistas happens to be the Pichichi award returning to the Bernabeu. And, Benzema is undoubtedly the chief candidate to make it happen. Here are three solid reasons why this expectation isn’t all illogical but very much attainable.
1. Lionel Messi’s LaLiga exit reduces competition by a great margin
Lionel Messi made his move out of LaLiga to join the Ligue 1 giants, PSG, and reunite with an old nemesis, Sergio Ramos who’d now be his teammate. Keeping all that aside, Lionel Messi’s exit from LaLiga does lighten things up for Benzema. He, in fact, is the league’s highest active goal scorer now. Messi has been winning the Pichichi for the last five seasons. But, that is bound to change now.
Benzema, on the other hand, has always given Messi the best competition in the race ever since Cristiano Ronaldo left after the 2017/18 season to join Juventus in the Serie A. He ended Runner-up in 2018/19 and 2019/20. In the last season, he tied with Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno for the second position, as both ended with 23 whereas Messi had 30 by his name.
Now, there may be arguments like Memphis Depay joining Barcelona and Gerard Moreno and Luis Suarez still pretty much alive in LaLiga to be worthy candidates for the Pichichi award. Well, I have a better argument for why Benzema is more likely to leave them behind in the race.