A huge problem for Real Madrid. Key star Benzema still not training, but duel with PSG in the Champions League is coming up

In La Liga, Real Madrid have a comfortable 6 point lead over Sevilla, so all eyes are now on the Champions League. There, Los Blancos will face PSG, but the implementation team has a huge problem to solve. Karim Benzema still hasn’t returned to training after his injury.

It’s been 17 days since Benzema was forced off the pitch due to an injury in the Elche game. Since then he has been training under the supervision of physiotherapists in the gym at the Valdebebas training centre, his side meanwhile dropped out of the Copa del Rey after losing to Bilbao and beating Granada in the league.

The injury, which initially did not appear to be serious, is starting to become a huge scare for Real Madrid fans. That’s because Carlo Ancelotti’s charges travel to Villarreal this weekend, but more importantly, they open the Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint Germain next week.

And playing with and without Benzema is as different as night and day. Real practically have no replacement for the French star in the team, although there are strikers Jovic and Mariano in the squad, but Ancelotti doesn’t trust them at all. So in the absence of Benzema, he uses either Asensio or Isco as a false nine.

The original plan was that Benzema would join training with the team on Wednesday or Thursday, play a few minutes at the Estádio de la Cerámica and be ready for the duel against PSG. But at the moment, the Frenchman’s start against Villarreal is practically out of the question, as a hamstring injury has not yet allowed him to return to the pitch.

Panic is slowly spreading at Real Madrid. Benzema is an absolutely key player in Ancelotti’s squad, through all competitions he has already netted 24 goals and added 9 assists. In the league, he has contributed to 24 goals, Los Blancos have scored a total of 48, so he has a hand in 50% of his team’s goals.

At the moment, it is quite uncertain whether the 34-year-old forward will be 100% ready against PSG. At least for the starting lineup, his path seems very complicated at the moment.

But in football, everything changes from minute to minute and there are still six days left until the eighth final of the millionaire competition.

Source: Marca