Karim Benzema has backed Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso to turn things around, expressing confidence in his ability to lead the club out of their difficult run of form this season.
The Spaniard arrived at the club in June from German outfit Bayer Leverkusen, replacing Carlo Ancelotti, who later took over as head coach of the Brazilian national team.
Despite a great start to the season, Los Blancos’ form have dipped in recent weeks and they have surrendered their lead at the top of the La Liga standings to rivals Barcelona.
The 15-time European champions have also lost consecutive home games, a 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo in the league last weekend, followed by another 2-1 loss to Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League in midweek.
“No, the coach can’t do anything. He has big names”, the Al-Ittihad striker said in an interview.
“What they’re lacking is simply a connection. Between [Kylian] Mbappé, Vinícius [Júnior], [Jude] Bellingham, and Rodrygo. Each one needs to know what to do on the pitch. Bellingham needs to understand that he’s the attacking midfielder, not the goalscorer.
Mbappé is the goalscorer, not the attacking midfielder. Vinicíus isn’t a defensive midfielder; he’s a left winger.”
The 44-year-old has come under intense scrutiny, with reports surfacing online that he could be dismissed if results fail to change.
Benzema, who played with top legends at Real Madrid, believes managing players’ egos can be difficult for the manager.
“As long as they all know what to do on the pitch, that’s it. Because we’re talking about players who are among the 10 best in the world, and they’re all on the same team”, Benzema continued.
“It’s difficult because everyone has their own personality and characteristics,” Benzema said. “They all want to be the best, so it’s a bit complicated… Everyone needs to understand that, in their role, they can contribute, but that it’s for the good of the team.”
Real Madrid head to Alaves on Sunday night, hoping to end their two-game losing streak and close the gap to league leaders Barcelona.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
