The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Karim Benzema

  • Benzema moves to Al-Hilal following Al-Ittihad departure

    Benzema moves to Al-Hilal following Al-Ittihad departure

    Karim Benzema has joined Al-Hilal, the Saudi Pro League leaders announced, following the termination of his contract with Al-Ittihad.

    Read Also: FULL LIST: Top 15 Premier League most expensive signings since 2010

    Local media reported that the move to Al-Hilal came after Benzema rejected an offer to extend his contract with Al-Ittihad. The former France striker had missed the team’s previous two league matches.

    “Karim Benzema is officially Hilali,” Al-Hilal posted on X.

    The former Real Madrid striker, 38, scored 16 goals in 21 matches for Al-Ittihad in all competitions this season.

  • Benzema brace gives Real Madrid victory over Eibar

    Karim Benzema scored twice as Real Madrid came from behind to beat Eibar 2-1 at home on Saturday in Zinedine Zidane’s 100th La Liga game in charge of the club.

    Benzema had an early strike disallowed at a barely half-full Santiago Bernabeu for offside while the visitors took a surprise lead in the 39th minute thanks to a cool finish from forward Marc Cardona, who is on loan from Barcelona.

    Eibar had humbled Madrid 3-0 back in November and looked to be on course to do the double on the deposed European champions until Benzema headed in an equaliser in the 59th minute, shortly after being denied again by the linesman’s flag.

    Benzema netted another header in the 81st minute to put Madrid in front and the Frenchman passed up two opportunities to clinch a hat-trick in the closing stages, missing the target and then hitting the post in stoppage time.

    Madrid moved on to 60 points after 31 games, thanks to the victory but remain third in the standings, 10 points behind leaders, Barcelona, who host nearest challengers, Atletico Madrid in a top-of-the-table clash later on Saturday.

    “We have had many games like that this season, I don’t think we lacked attitude; but we did lack confidence and we didn’t have a clear idea of how we wanted to play,” said Madrid defender Nacho.

    “At halftime Zidane told us to show character and be more confident. We managed to react well to going behind and we played well in the second half.”

    Read Also: Ronaldo, Benzema seal title for Madrid

    Madrid had fallen to their first defeat since Zidane returned to the club with Wednesday’s 2-1 loss at Valencia and the Frenchman again made several changes to his side, who have nothing to play for but pride in the remainder of the campaign.

    He rested captain Sergio Ramos and dropped Toni Kroos and Casemiro to the bench in favour of inexperienced Uruguayan midfieder Federico Valverde, while bringing Spanish youngster Sergio Reguilon back in for the suspended Marcelo.

    Gareth Bale also returned to the line-up and he put the cross in for Benzema’s first disallowed goal but had strayed offside before he made the pass.

    The Wales international again came in for heavy boos from his own supporters for two missed chances and was taken off for Kroos with the game tied at 1-1.

    The Germany midfielder bore the brunt of criticism for the defeat in Valencia but made amends by picking out Benzema for the winning goal.

    NAN

  • Benzema extends Real Madrid stay to 2021

    Benzema extends Real Madrid stay to 2021

     

    Karim Benzema has agreed a four-year contract extension at Real Madrid that will keep him with the Spanish and European champions until 2021.

    The 29-year-old striker is suffering with a hamstring injury and is not included in Madrid’s squad to face Real Betis on Wednesday.

    He will sign his new deal in a ceremony at the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday.

    Benzema joins team-mates Isco, Marcelo and Dani Carvajal in sealing fresh terms with Madrid over recent weeks, while head coach Zinedine Zidane told reporters on Tuesday that his own renewal was “already done”.

    After joining from Lyon in 2009, Benzema has scored 182 goals across 371 appearances for Madrid but has not featured for France since being implicated in a blackmail scandal involving international team-mate Mathieu Valbuena in November 2015.

    In July, the highest appeals court in France annulled the validity of the investigation into Benzema’s alleged involvement in the case.

    Meanwhile teammates Christiano Ronaldo is expected to bounce back to action today against Real Betis after his suspension.

    Ronaldo has not played in LaLiga this season, having been hit with a five-match ban for his dismissal in the first leg of the Supercopa de Espana defeat to Barcelona – a suspension lengthened due to the attacker shoving referee Ricardo de Burgos.

    In the Portugal captain’s absence, Madrid have lagged behind Barca in the early running of the season, drawing at home to Valencia and Levante as Ernesto Valverde’s men have enjoyed a 100 per cent start, extended to five wins with a 6-1 demolition of Eibar on Tuesday.

    Ronaldo scored twice when he returned for Madrid in the Champions League against APOEL and Zinedine Zidane will hope for a similar impact, with Karim Benzema expected to miss a month with a hamstring injury.

    Mateo Kovacic and Jesus Vallejo (both thigh) are also absent from the squad to face Betis.

  • Benzema in a summer break monkey show

    Benzema in a summer break monkey show

     

    With the dust having settled on the 2016/17 season footballers around the world are taking the opportunity to enjoy a rare break from the sport and put their feet up ahead of a gruelling pre-season.

    As is now the norm with social media however, fans are being kept up-to-date on a daily basis with what their heroes are up to, with many players regularly posting photos and video updates of their travels.

    Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has rightfully earned a break following a trophy-laden campaign with Los Blancos, and the Frenchman has this week shared a snap of himself alongside an adorable little monkey.

    The 29-year-old took to Instagram to post the image of himself and his new ape friend, which could be seen draped affectionately over the shoulder of the Madrid talisman.

    Elsewhere in the world of professional football Chelsea legend John Terry has been making the most of his Stamford Bridge departure, taking to warmer climates along with his wife Toni.

    The former England captain, who this week has also been celebrating his 10th wedding anniversary, was pictured sharing a huge cocktail with his partner as he winds down from another title-winning season.

    Terry is still in the process of plotting his next move, though has been heavily linked with a move to Championship side Birmingham to join up with Harry Redknapp.

    Redknapp this week revealed his club have made a good offer to sign the departing Chelsea skipper, though Terry himself is yet to speak out on the subject.

    Terry hasn’t been the only decorated England legend to celebrate a 10th wedding anniversary, with former Liverpool captain and current Under-18s manager Steven Gerrard following suit.

    Gerrard uploaded a picture of himself and his wife Alex, along with the caption: ’10 years married today, happy anniversary babe I love you #bestmate.’

    Over in Miami Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius has been soaking up the rays in the pool, as he prepares for another season which will see him battle it out for the no 1 jersey at Anfield.

    Former Red Christian Benteke has also been on the move, jetting off across the globe while taking his shiny red Ferrari with him.

    The Crystal Palace hitman uploaded an image of himself stood in front of the Italian motor, while palm trees could be seen dotted behind him in the exotic backdrop.

    Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and his pop star girlfriend Perrie Edwards have also took the chance to get away, and have each been sharing updates on their social media channels.

    Little Mix star Edwards showed the world a snap of herself and the Ox while heading out for an evening meal, while the Arsenal midfielder chose to upload a picture of the two of them sporting matching baseball caps.

  • Real Madrid win first La Liga title since 2012

    Real Madrid win first La Liga title since 2012

    Real Madrid win first La Liga title since 2012

    Real Madrid won their first La Liga title since 2012 thanks to a final-day 2-0 victory at Malaga on Sunday and in spite of FC Barcelona’s 4-2 win over Eibar.

    Cristiano Ronaldo scored early in the game to settle the nerves, latching onto Isco’s through ball to step around Carlos Kameni and tap into an empty net.

    Karim Benzema then added their second goal after the break after Kameni had parried Sergio Ramos’ shot.

    Real, who had only needed a draw to win the title, now face Juventus in the Champions League final aiming to complete a double

    FC Barcelona, who had won the past two titles, came from 2-0 down to beat Eibar 4-2 at the Nou Camp.

    But they had also needed Real to slip up if they were going to retain the trophy.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Real Madrid finished with 93 points, while FC Barcelona ended with 90 points to stay second.

    The result means Zinedine Zidane, in his first full season as Real boss, has recorded another first.

    He is the first manager to lead Madrid to the Spanish league title since Jose Mourinho did five years ago.

    If Real beat Juventus in Cardiff, they will become the first team to successfully defend the Champions League.

    Zidane had won the tournament six months into the job last summer.

     

     

  • Real Madrid hit champions league final

    … Oust city rivals Atletico on 4-2 aggregate

    Defending champions Real Madrid set up another mouth-watering meeting with Juventus in next month’s UEFA Champions League final in Cardiff, after holding off a spirited Atletico Madrid on Wednesday..

    Atletico trailed 0-3 from the first leg, and looked unlikely to overturn the deficit and deny their rich neighbours the chance of repeating their 1998 meeting with Juventus.

    They stormed into an early 2-0 lead through Saul Niguez’s header and Antoine Griezmann’s cheeky penalty kick, but real grabbed a vital away goal.

    This was when Isco poked in a rebound after Toni Kroos’ fierce shot, following a brilliant run by Karim Benzema, was saved.

    The stunning goal checked Atletico’s momentum and left them needing three more goals to reach a third Champions League final in four seasons.

    Scoring hances were few for both teams after the game’s break, although substitute Kevin Gameiro missed two presentable chances to give the home side some hope.

    As it was, the damage from the first leg was irreversible as Real beat their neighbours in the competition for the fourth successive season.

    The defending champions, attempting to become the first team to win the Champions League twice in a row, will meet Juventus at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on June 3.
    OLAL

     

  • Benzema returns Madrid to La Liga summit

    Benzema returns Madrid to La Liga summit

     

    Every dog has its day, or every cat in Karim Benzema’s case. The player once dubbed a pussy cat by Jose Mourinho scored twice as Real Madrid comfortably beat Eibar without Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

    Benzema has always had his critics at Madrid and he came into this game not having scored in his last seven League games. The morning papers ran a list of 35 players who had scored more than the French international in the league.

    But without having to service Ronaldo and Bale, Benzema was free to be the protagonist and he scored two and set-up one as Madrid scored twice in 15 minutes to wrap-up this victory before the half-hour mark.

    Benzema needed two attempts to beat Eibar keeper Yoel Rodriguez who saved his first shot but could do nothing about the well-struck rebound.

    It was Benzema’s first goal in the league since January 9 and his sixth league goal of the season; number seven was not long in coming.

    Benzema had stepped-up when his team had needed him most. This was the perfect way to prepare for Napoli on Tuesday.

    Real Madrid had a heated argument in a team meeting before their training session on Friday, according to Spanish paper Mundo Deportivo.

    Mundo Deportivo, based in Barcelona, stated that many Real players suggested that they aren’t happy with Cristiano Ronaldo’s behavior.

    There were no reproaches from the squad towards Coach Zinedine Zidane but there was tension between the players, including the likes of Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and Modric.

    Some of the stars expressed their disapproval at Ronaldo, saying that when he wins, it’s all about him, but when they lose, the other players are at fault.