Micah Richards drew some flack last month for announcing during TV duties that Madrid’s No 9, the top scorer in La Liga, centrepiece of a title-winning team might finally be approaching the levels of Harry Kane. If convicted attempted blackmail go-betweens are allowed to win the big awards – and before we clutch our pearls too closely this is a sport whose global body has anointed Vladimir Putin as a force for world peace – then it looks like a wrap.īut it is also far from the most interesting thing about Benzema, whose performance on Tuesday night captured so much about Real Madrid, and about Manchester City too. There isn’t time for anyone else to approach this level. He has 46 in 48 for the season, 13 assists and another league title in the barrel, all the while reeling off outrageous displays of will and edge at the sharp end of things. But also because it’s so obvious that Benzema should win it. The talk now will be about the Ballon d’Or, because football tends towards individual glory. But also because they have Benzema, 13 years into his career at a club that doesn’t generally do 13-year careers and right now the outstanding single presence in elite European club football. Mainly because – read the badge – they’re called Real Madrid. Madrid had been brittle in defence and slow in central midfield, with Toni Kroos creaking about the pitch like a fond old Victorian rocking horse.īenzema’s dink told the world they still considered themselves to be winning this tie. A moment to steal a little hope from your soul. Two goals down with eight minutes to play, Real Madrid were clinging on to this semi-final by the standards of normal, everyday football teams.Īt which point Benzema produced – well, what exactly? An impudent dink. Karim Benzema really did need to score from the spot at the Etihad Stadium.

Stagecraft software wrapper