Real Madrid is coming off another uneasy 2-1 win at home as they hosted the recently promoted cross-town neighbors Rayo Vallecano. It was a sparkling offensive display in the first 70 minutes of the match from Los Blancos. But, they decided to switch off for some time with a two-goal cushion and that weighed heavily as Real Madrid would finish the match in a tense fashion. Rayo pulled a goal back, courtesy of THE Radamel Falcao.
Karim Benzema added another goal to his tally in LaLiga further solidifying his position at the top of the charts with 10. That makes it a bit easier for me to make this argument. Real Madrid’s attack has been top-notch this season. No matter how exposed they get defensively, Real Madrid is getting the results and it’s all thanks to their players upfront.
Real’s traditional shape features an attacking trident with two players cementing their names in said trident, Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior. And, the way they have been playing so far in the season, I don’t think it would be too far to say that these two have been the best duo in European football this season. One major reason why the two have stood out as a duo is a simple yet fundamental one. And, that is the absence of a third in Real’s attacking trident.
It has all been about Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior. They started with Gareth Bale as their third partner but his injury made it difficult for him to stay in the line-up for an extended period of time. Rodrygo Goes was starting to make headway. Alas, he too succumbed to an injury. Eden Hazard, as clearly stated by Carlo Ancelotti isn’t his preferred option. And finally, Marco Asensio is lethargic on the ball who performs well once in a blue moon, the hat-trick against Mallorca for example. Thus, it is natural that all the good things about this Real Madrid team have been concentrated more on these two consistent performers. Now, moving to the more compelling reasons.
The data never lies
First things first, the data never lies! When you talk about Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior as a duo you are straight-away staring at 23 goals and 13 assists in 16 games in all competitions this season, per WhoScored. I don’t need to further substantiate what a prolific record that is! These two have been the best attackers in Europe and they have been piling up the tangible numbers to shut any critics whatsoever.
Going beyond the conventional goal contributions, they both have been placing 2.1 key passes on an average in every game they have played in. Additionally, Benzema has also been impressive with his cross-field switches via long balls, his average has been a very healthy 1.2 long balls per game. But, there is so much more to their play that the stats would never show.
Benzema and Vini complement each other well, which results in dividends for Real Madrid
If you watch any Real Madrid game this season, there’s one thing you cannot miss, and that is the understanding Vini and Benzema share upfront. It’s evident in their linkups, their off-ball movement and their passionate celebrations. The two are absolutely enjoying their football at the moment.
Benzema loves to pull to the left to build-up play and every time he does, Vini is always there to be his partner. They have really complemented each other very well. The comeback performance against Valencia is the perfect example of when these two took matters into their own hands and combined brilliantly to score two late goals to come back from a 1-0 deficit. They both assisted each other’s goals and it was yet again one of those matches where Real wouldn’t have won if it wasn’t for these two.
They pulled off another similar feat in the last outing of the Champions League against Shakhtar Donetsk. Another 2-1 win at home that featured a Karim Benzema double and both his goals were assisted by none other than Vini. The first was Vinicius’s press that resulted in the easiest of tap-ins and the second, a more sophisticated yet easy-on-the-eyes move to score the winner.
They have taken their understanding a level higher with each other’s individual prowess. It’s evident that Vini’s dribbling is world-class and Benzema looks to utilize that on the flanks with quick one-twos from the edge of the box. Vini knows he can count on Benzema to finish and he never hesitates to cut back whenever Benzema is in a better position. The respect they share for each other’s play is immense which is why they also play well individually. They are there to lift each other if one is having a bad day in the office.
Benzema has looked a little exhausted and who wouldn’t be after non-stop starts for club and country so early on in the season. And, Vini has done his best to put things on the plate for Benzema, so that he doesn’t have to work more than he needs to. Vini also performed exceptionally well in the game against Elche when Benzema was rested. That again is another crucial quality to have for a duo. They must perform well together as well as individually without each other.
There is no doubt in my mind that Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior are both coming up as one of the best duos in world football. In time, we will see if they continue their prolific form. But as things stand right now, there is no contestation that these two are the best duo currently. Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior, “Vinzema” if you will!