Benzema, where do you come from?

I admit it. Karim Benzema has amazed me. In a while now my admiration for him continues to grow. Moreover, not lying when I say that when I'm looking forward to Real Madrid get him the ball to him. Neither Christian nor Xabi or Özil or any other: a Benzema. For me, now not only is the appeal of Madrid player but has come to be its main asset. And think about how your figure was gigantic in recent months have even more value if you remember where it came from.

The Cat. That was the nickname he put it, with all the bad milk in the world, his coach, Jose Mourinho. A cat who had to go hunting instead of dogs. It was so little confidence that their coach deserved a year ago that even Adebayor joined the Winter Market. Benzema's future in the white team looked black, very black. A guy like that, so introverted, so quiet and slow bordering on sloth, did not appear to profile player to grow in adversity.

But Karim awoke the beast that was inside. And this has had much to do the deal that has given his coach. Mourinho hit full in the style of motivation used with Benzema. Football could decipher his soul. The same player recognized it bluntly: Mourinho has made ​​me get the anger I had inside .

Today the sambenito of the cat has become almost a nickname that Benzema has started any hint of irony. But it would be wrong to think that full Benzema has returned to be one Olympique Lyonnais striker who sighed for half of Europe. Not at all. The current Benzema is infinitely better than the old version of OL.

As time continues to demonstrate an ability to uncheck in the break and excellent shooting technique with both feet-two notes: one, his shooting technique is what makes us remember the phenomenon, two, one of the few strikers you better stick with both legs Benzema is on the same team: Higuain. But what to not only strip natural instinct to distance himself upright, looking back to quill behind rival to the first exchange, or in two or three touches (control, dribbling oriented definition) but has learned to move around the whole front of attack and hurt when he has the ball at his feet.

If anything has grown Benzema is in intelligence. Intelligence tactics, to be exact. Every movement of Benzema is a scratch on the opposing defense. Every time you pick a band, wham, scratch. Whether you believe in the superiority of the area or the space left for the entry of the second line, Karim is always hurting somewhere. Even in the possession pressure on rival, the Frenchman has gone from being a bum that ran like a headless chicken because I do not understand must be the first to roll up to drown out the contrary in from behind.

That is in relation to what is now without the ball, which highly values ​​Mourinho. But if there is something that has been falling in love with me Benzema not realize is just how well you play the ball and his extraordinary ability to mix well with everyone. Whether you combine with Ronaldo, with Di Maria, Özil ... Benzema has learned to play with all and, more importantly, understands them all. Who knows the long and who requested in short, who is feinting and who wants it at first, who is going to return and who is not ... I do not remember who you've read the following (or something), but not I can think of a better definition: Benzema is over emerging as a midfielder who plays as a striker.

Benzema gives pause to the team when needed, playing heads or opening to the bands. But when the trumpets sound and Madrid became the Seventh Cavalry, Karim is the first to play the ball quickly, one, two touches at most as long as vertical as possible, and get to gallop forward in diagonal cracking enemy wall, causing a collapse everywhere he goes.

Karim Benzema may not be the best in anything, but all done very well. And that in itself makes you better than others, certainly more than one you are thinking of Raul, as is inevitable. And if you look back at everything that has been seen in European football this season and ignoring that there is an alien called Messi, is there currently a striker in Europe better than Benzema? Not to me.

Photo | The Daily Universe