Questions are being raised about the future of Carlo Ancelotti with frequency now, as Real Madrid have struggled on the pitch. The team had shown so much promise at the start of the campaign and had not lost a game until their defeat away in Germany against RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League. Things have gone south for them lately though.
As things stand, Real Madrid sit nine points behind Barcelona in the La Liga table. They also lost the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi final tie against the Catalan giants by a 1-0 scoreline, that too at Santiago Bernabeu. As a result, the Champions League might be their best hope of landing some silverware this season.
The 5-2 win over Liverpool away at Anfield had raised a lot of hopes that it would act as the launching pad for Ancelotti’s team, who had looked shaky for a while. Instead, they seem to have gotten worse since that match, and not won any of their previous three games, drawing against Atletico Madrid and Real Betis while losing to Barcelona.
Not good enough to say the least. Several Real Madrid players have disappointed in recent weeks. And on top of that list might be the name of a certain Karim Benzema.
Real Madrid superstar needs to improve in next weeks and matches
Benzema was unplayable at times last season. It was without doubt the best campaign of his career, winning him the Ballon d’Or and solidifying his status as a Real Madrid legend once and forever.
Benzema has failed to hit those heights this time around though. It has been a season filled with fitness issues, which have prevented him from gaining any momentum. And in recent weeks, many fans have felt that he has looked a bit disinterested.
If Real Madrid are to be successful this season, they will need Benzema to deliver though. He is the solution to a lot of their current problems. Not only is the Frenchman a consistent goalscorer but he brings the best out of those around him, like Vinicius Junior and Fede Valverde.
It is no mere coincidence that the wingers struggle when Benzema is not at the top of his game, and in many ways, so does the entire team. Real Madrid have some very big games coming up over the next weeks, and hopefully, we will see the Frenchman back to his best in those.