Is he done at Madrid? What level club would go for him? Would he be content being a backup for Lukaku? 
So now what happens to Karim Benzema? | Hat-tricks, lots of hat-tricks
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Been linked with Napoli and a reunion with Ancelotti, though my guess is he'll stay. No chance he'd come here as a backup.
Is finally given the push he deserves and scores 85 goals next season
Zidane and Ronaldo gone, he's going to need a psychiatrist.
Southampton or Everton
Think it'll hinge on whether Madrid actually target a top class no.9 (seems unlikely, Lewandowski doesn't seem to interest them, Kane won't leave, only really Icardi left) - or just replace Ronaldo's position on the left with another winger - Hazard, Neymar etc.
Then again, why not both? You'll basically need both to replace Ronaldo.
Then again, why not both? You'll basically need both to replace Ronaldo.
He’ll have to find his shooting boots.
You could make an argument that they don’t actually need to change much at all. Just give Bale Ronaldos brief and set up as before. Just with less sulking and prima donna behaviour.
And 50% of the game time!
Do not want.Is he done at Madrid? What level club would go for him? Would he be content being a backup for Lukaku?
Cristiano Ronaldo on a minutes limitation was still available and fully fit for more games than Bale...
As for Benzema, he can still be a good backup option i guess. Maybe Chelsea might be interested in replacing Morata with him? I can dream right?
No white text?? Seriously.. they'll have to change a lot. Ronaldo ran that team.
I meant as a backup.
I know. I don’t want him for that either. I don’t want Karim Benzema anywhere near a Manchester United kit.
Chelsea is a graveyard for formally top strikers: Shevchenko, Torres, Eto'o, Crespo, Falcao, Drogba the sequel.
Part of me wants to see Benzema go there just to keep up their streak.
Nah, Bale can easily slot into Cris place and be a difference maker. He's done it multiple times. Problem is fitness
Doesn’t have to be that way though. They’ve got an amazing squad and if they don’t have to run everything for Ronaldos benefit they may end up a better team than currently. Worked for us in the past when Saha ousted Ruud.
He'll get exposed next season without Ronaldo crazy numbers.
Same. He refused us before and doesnt seem like the nicest guy to have around. He isnt even thát good.
I've been a fan of him since his early Lyon days and was gutted when Madrid signed him in that famous neo galatico period. I'm amazed he is still playing at Madrid though given the expectation and pressure everyone is under there. Maybe Zidane persisted with him being French but I think his days at Madrid are over. He's achieved a hell of a lot in his club career and can hold his head high anyway.
I think he is much better than he is given credit for but I wouldn't be surprised if he retired or went to the middle east.
I think he is much better than he is given credit for but I wouldn't be surprised if he retired or went to the middle east.
He is a work horse but seems to have lost a lot of his confidence in front of goal. Do not want.
If he does leave though, Real are gonna have to spend big on not only a replacement for CR7, but also him. It's gonna be an expensive summer for Florentino. There's a dearth of world class CFs at the moment. Most big names are either wingers or support strikers, but not someone that can lead the line. Lewa is the only candidate I can think of.
If he does leave though, Real are gonna have to spend big on not only a replacement for CR7, but also him. It's gonna be an expensive summer for Florentino. There's a dearth of world class CFs at the moment. Most big names are either wingers or support strikers, but not someone that can lead the line. Lewa is the only candidate I can think of.
Nowhere near the same.
He's gonna go to Juventus as well. You just watch.
Juve has Mandzukic and Higuain. Mandzu might work better for CR7 than Higuain does.
Ronaldo completed that team, he was the guy less involved in the game from the 10 outfield players.
Right now they're like a Ferrari without wheels, Ronaldo was the piece connecting the machinery to what they needed for titles, scoring. Now we'll see if they manage to mount the best Goodyear tires or a cheap set of Gt Radials.
The problem is it's a unique set of tyres and the Ferrari won't work with any others. The engine and seats will need replacing soon too...
Might aswell build another car.
I mean... we're talking about a Ferrari after allThe problem is it's a unique set of tyres and the Ferrari won't work with any others. The engine and seats will need replacing soon too...
Might aswell build another car.
Stay at RM for a season or two more then be replaced by Kane?
Juventus is rumoured to sell Higuain just to balance the book for signing Ronaldo, they won't sign another big name.
I guess they will make do with Mandzukic and Ronaldo as their main CF and Dybala as their playmaker. That is good enough.
More like the engine. They simply will not find another Ronaldo. They need to redesign their team. Ronaldo is a once in a generation player.We never replaced Keane either.
There’s a lot of unfair criticism here for him, which makes me wonder whether people have ever watched him play before. He’s about the least selfish striker I’ve ever seen and did so much work to make space and assist Ronaldo that he has sacrificed a huge number of goals for himself.
I agree though that he probably won’t be able to do that in a team of inferior players, but looking at the statistics does not tell the whole story.
I agree though that he probably won’t be able to do that in a team of inferior players, but looking at the statistics does not tell the whole story.
He could stay if he wants to come off the bench but Madrid absolutely need another goal scorer. He can useful off the bench and selling him wouldn’t solve Madrid’s problem at backup ST. The only (realistic) options I see for Madrid is Kane or Icardi for the stricker position.
How much would he cost?
Jose loves players with his workrate, we need someone we can play when we rest Lukaku.
Jose loves players with his workrate, we need someone we can play when we rest Lukaku.
West Ham, where else?
Is Benzema really worse than the ones mentioned?
That's pretty weird! Benzema would be insane as a backup
Spends a season at Madrid, disappoints. Next season he either moves to Serie A or Ligue 1.
Is Benzema worse than Icardi, Lewa or Kane? Do bears shit in the woods?
I mean, as a technically gifted footballer - not at all. As a number 9 to score goals? Extremely so.
5(!) 11, 24 and 15 are his goal tallies for the last 4 league seasons. In that same time;
Kane - 30, 29, 25, 21.
Lewandowski - 29, 30, 30, 17
Icardi - 29, 24, 17, 22
For comparison Ronaldo was 26, 25, 35, 48.
Those goals must be replaced in the side. I think it’s too optimistic to assume Benzema will become something he isn’t and that Bale can take the mantle.
We actually do have an extra set of the same tyres, but it's a used set. The problem is will they last the whole race?The problem is it's a unique set of tyres and the Ferrari won't work with any others. The engine and seats will need replacing soon too...
Might aswell build another car.