MY ACCOUNT
Karim Benzema will not be fit to return for Real Madrid’s clash with Granada on Sunday, while head coach Carlo Ancelotti insists he has no personal issue with Eden Hazard.
LaLiga top scorer Benzema missed the midweek Copa del Rey defeat to Athletic Bilbao with a hamstring complaint.
He was pictured training on Friday, but the France striker will once again miss out for the league leaders, who are without Vinicius Jr through suspension..
“Benzema won’t play. He’s improved, but he’s not 100 per cent yet. He trained yesterday but not today, we’ve got to wait two or three more days,” head coach Ancelotti told a pre-match news conference.
“The team are ready, we know Vinicius and Karim are both out.”
Ancelotti acknowledged the importance of Benzema to his team but dismissed the notion Madrid are overly reliant on their talisman.
“Of course we’re missing Benzema, he’s the top scorer in the league, scoring lots of goals this season for Real Madrid,” Ancelotti said.
“I think you look at teams and their Benzemas [star player], if they miss that player of course it’s a big loss, it’s a blow.
“Without Benzema it’s tougher, but without Benzema we’ve won games. I think we’ve done well without Karim Benzema.”
Hazard’s form has flattered to deceive since joining in a big-money move from Chelsea in 2019, though a star turn in a 2-1 win at Athletic back in December prompted praise from Ancelotti.
Since then, though, minutes have been hard to come by for the Belgium forward, who was an unused substitute for the Copa setback.
Asked about Hazard, Ancelotti replied: “There’s no issues between myself and the player, he’s training, he’s now fit.
“But then I have to decide who I think is the best team. But I just preferred a different player. Hazard played against Elche [in the previous round of the Copa], scored after he came on, it’s not as if he’s not playing. He has been playing.
“There’s not a personal issue with him, there’s not a physical issue either, there’s no issue we’re not sharing about Hazard. No secrets.”
Team-mate Gareth Bale was also not utilised in the Copa fixture and was filmed seemingly chuckling when Hazard was told to sit back down with 18 minutes remaining having gone out to warm up.
Ancelotti said he did not see the incident.
“I didn’t see it, I don’t know why he laughed, and it doesn’t seem important to me,” the Italian said.
“We wanted to put Hazard on in extra time and that’s why he warmed up. Three players have to warm up, that’s the maximum. I wanted my players warming up, taking turns, I couldn’t send six players to warm up.”
Madrid’s Copa exit followed a come-from-behind 2-2 draw against Elche in LaLiga last week, with Los Blancos enduring a dip in form.
Ancelotti, though, says he has no issue with any criticism that comes his way.
“I’m not hurt, I’m used to this, to living these moments. It’s a confirmation that I’m the coach of Real Madrid and you always have to make decisions, and sometimes you’re right and you’re wrong. Nothing new,” he said.
“I’m so happy that I’m manager here, I don’t mind criticism. It keeps me on my toes. It also makes you think things through a bit more.”
