That tasty Champions League round-of-16 tie in Paris on
Tuesday will pit Madrid against the team of former nemesis Lionel Messi and
Kylian Mbappé, the player many in Spain hope will become Madrid’s next star.
But, first, Madrid will have to likely miss Benzema’s goals
for one more match, when the Spanish league leader visits the Villarreal of
Unai Emery on Saturday.
Benzema trained individually on Wednesday, working out in
the team’s gym and running on the training pitch.
Madrid has struggled to score since Benzema injured his left
hamstring on Jan. 23 in a league match against Elche. Without his team-high 24
goals in 28 appearances, Madrid drew with Elche 2-2, was eliminated from the
Copa del Rey in a 1-0 loss at Athletic Bilbao, and eked out a 1-0 win over
Granada.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti played Marco Asensio and Isco Alarcón,
both attacking midfielders, up front against Granada. That paid off when
Asensio netted the winner. But the decision also appeared to indicate that
Ancelotti has little faith in the team’s other pure striker, rarely used
reserve Luka Jovic.
Madrid will get winger Vinícius Júnior back for Villarreal
after he served a one-game suspension for accumulation of yellow cards. The
Brazilian’s 12 goals are second to Benzema’s 17 for the entire league.
Villarreal enters the round in sixth place, but only three
points from Barcelona in fourth and the final Champions League spot.
Villarreal will also be without its top striker after Gerard
Moreno injured a right leg muscle. Arnaut Danjuma, who has scored nine times
this season, could start as striker.
“We don’t care, or care very little, if Madrid is thinking
more in the Champions League. They have their injury issues, as do we,”
Villarreal goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli said. “The leader is coming, the strongest
team so far this season, a rival that is going to demand the most of us, and we
are eager to play our best.”
Giovani Lo Celso made his debut for Villarreal after his
loan from Tottenham as a late substitute in the last round’s 2-0 win over Real
Betis.
ELSEWHERE
Second-placed Sevilla hosts an improved Elche on Friday
after drawing at Osasuna 0-0 last week let Madrid open a six-point gap at the
top of the table.
Betis, a full 13 points off Madrid’s pace in third, visits
last-placed Levante on Sunday, while Barcelona has a derby at Espanyol.
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