Real Madrid have two candidates to be next penalty taker

Real Madrid are in for a number of changes in the upcoming 2023/24 season. The club has seen many veteran players depart in recent years, making way for the next generation. But the player that they will be missing the most this coming season is Karim Benzema, who has left for Al-Ittihad.

Benzema had been a key player for Real Madrid since his arrival in 2009. With his departure, the obvious area they will notice his absence the most is in front of goal.

Benzema had been Los Blancos’ main source of goals for the past five seasons, as well as their main penalty taker. With the Frenchman now gone, Real Madrid will have to decide who will step up and take the penalties moving forward.

As reported by Relevo, Real Madrid have two candidates to replace Benzema as their main penalty taker. The first is Luka Modric. And the second is Rodrygo.

Real Madrid have two candidates to be next penalty taker

Modric is a veteran in every aspect of the game, including penalty taking duties. The Croatian has taken high pressure penalties for both club and country. According to stats from Transfermarkt, he has scored 22 and missed 4.

Rodrygo on the other hand would be an interesting choice as the main penalty taker. In his career, he has scored all three he has taken for Real Madrid. However, the Brazilian does have a very well known miss as well, against Croatia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. That might raise questions about his ability to take penalties in high pressure situations.

Vinicius Jr could emerge as the third candidate in the race as well. For the time being, Modric looks like the safest choice. But then, one has to wonder how much football the Croatian midfield maestro will actually end up playing in the upcoming season.