- French frontman scored against Liverpool
- Was immediately forced off
- Expects to figure at Camp Nou on Sunday
WHAT HAPPENED? The French frontman netted the only goal of the game at Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday as the reigning European champions booked their place in the quarter-finals of this season’s elite continental competition. Benzema had been nursing an ankle problem heading into a meeting with Premier League giants, and appeared to tweak something in the build-up to his strike against the Reds as he hobbled his way through a celebration and eventually made way for Rodrygo.
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WHAT THEY SAID: Real are due to face arch-rivals Barcelona at Camp Nou on Sunday, with Benzema telling Movistar+ when asked if he will be ready for that contest: “It was a strong blow to the tibia. Just a knock. I will be there, I will be there.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti was also quick to talk up the likelihood of Benzema being fit to face Barca, with the Italian saying of his club captain: “It seems it was just a knock, but I think he’ll recover without any problems for Sunday.”
IN THREE PHOTOS:
(C)Getty ImagesNext Match
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT? Benzema, who claimed the prestigious Ballon d’Or in 2022, has already sat out 13 games through injury this season and – having reached 19 goals for the campaign when netting against Liverpool – will be desperate to avoid any more enforced absences as Real seek to defend their La Liga and Champions League crowns.
