A sense of clarity arrived for Carlo Ancelotti just hours before Real Madrid faced Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Riyadh. It wasn’t only his words about Karim Benzema returning to form, but also the quiet, knowing smile that said more than any line. “He is a very important player for us,” the Madrid coach remarked on the day on the King Fahd International Stadium lawn, and everyone knew the truth behind the mood in the camp. Ancelotti’s squad has looked almost unpredictable this season, caught in a tug-of-war with injuries and a clash of personalities with a strong French rival. Didier Deschamps did not wait around; he headed to Doha and returned without seeing action before the World Cup began, signaling the kind of chess game that surrounds elite football at the highest level.
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“Tomorrow’s game means a lot. We have to be ready to win this game.”
– benzema, as shared by Madrid’s official channels and reported by the federation after the match
– The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) communications, January 14, 2023, Riyadh
Ancelotti’s mood looked bright; Benzema’s demeanor was more than confident. The two shared a succinct, almost identical sentiment within about five hours of each other on a chilly, overcast Riyadh afternoon, when light rain interrupted a moment of sun. Benzema, the Madrid captain, declared with calm satisfaction that he had risen above one of the toughest periods in his career, a period that coincided with the moment he lifted the Ballon d’Or—an award that crowned him as the world’s best player the previous season. Messi’s name was a distant memory by then, as far as this club’s narrative was concerned.
“What happened is already behind me. I feel good in my head and my body. The rest is a complicated past, but that’s all,”
“It’s happened already. I’m fine in my head and in my body too. The rest is a complicated past, but that’s all,” Benzema replied, choosing not to fan the flames surrounding his situation with France. When pressed further about questions related to the future, he kept his focus on the present and the squad.
No clue about the future
Benzema, at 35, has no intention of looking beyond the current mission. When asked how long he would keep serving Madrid as the main attacking force, he replied with a steady confidence. “Even when? I’m in Madrid and I’m enjoying every training session, every match… this continues year after year,” the striker said.
The forward has tallied four goals across his last three appearances (Valladolid, Villarreal, Valencia), including three from the penalty spot
His contract runs through June 2023, leaving him free to negotiate with other clubs after six months, yet he was clear about his love for Madrid. “I can’t tell you when I’ll stay in Madrid, but I’ve enjoyed every day I’ve spent here. What happens in football then…” he noted, adding that his recent scoring run included four goals in the last three fixtures—two against Valladolid, one against Villarreal, and one against Valencia. Notably, three of those goals came from penalties. Moreover, his stoic expression suggested a player who has learned to manage scrutiny as well as expectations.
Asked about rumors that he had stepped back from Madrid to focus on the World Cup, Benzema responded with a firm resolve. “What can I tell you? I know what I’m doing, I know what Madrid means to me. I’ll never leave my club for anything else,” he asserted, a statement directed as much at doubt as at gossip.
“Delete me? I know what I’ve done, I know what Madrid stands for to me. I’ll never leave my club for anything else.”
Across the season, Benzema played four of six Champions League matches before the World Cup break, with limited opportunities carved out by competition and fitness concerns. He did score Madrid’s goal against Eintracht in the European Super Cup (2-0) and appeared in seven of the first fourteen league matches ahead of the Doha pause, contributing five goals amid a spell marked by muscle injuries. The captain’s seriousness intensified when confronted with questions about Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent visit to the club’s training ground. No photo confirmed the reunion between the two former teammates, and Benzema offered a candid take on social media culture: the friendship doesn’t hinge on a snapshot. “We don’t need photos to prove we’re friends. It’s Instagram and a different world,” he explained, adding that he hadn’t even had time to greet Ronaldo because he hadn’t seen him.