Amongst the ensuing consternation that the Celtic support will be feeling tonight, the one modicum of comfort that can be had is the news that Real Madrid will be without Balon d’Or winner and serial goalscorer, Karim Benzema. The best player in the world currently, Benzema may well have had a field day with the Welsh and Jenz partnership.
Not to say that the task still doesn’t look formidable against Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde. The pair are truly world-class talents and have the ability to cut defences open at will. However, this could have been a whole lot more daunting with the inclusion of World Cup winner Benzema.
Karim Benzema trains ahead of their UEFA Champions League match against Celtic at Celtic Park on September 05, 2022. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
His track record at this level is ridiculous, as evidenced last season with their run to the final. He helped shoot down the major players at Champions League level and finished it off with getting his hands on the trophy in Paris against Liverpool. With 86 goals, Benzema is the fourth highest scorer ever in the competition which is no mean feat.
It could end up a case of a damage limitation exercise tomorrow but there is no getting past the fact that it could have been a whole lot worse, all things considered. With CCV missing, one can only imagine the type of night he could have had. Not to mention he would have been on a high from the winning of the highly sought after prize gifted by France Football and FIFA.
Real Madrid’s French forward Karim Benzema poses with his “UEFA Men’s Player of the Year 2021/2022 Award” next to Real Madrid’s Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti posing with his “Coach of the Year Award” in Istanbul on August 25, 2022, after the 2022/2023 Champions League group stage draw. (Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)
Time will tell if his removal from this current Madrid side will stop the 2022 Champions League winners from taking all three points tomorrow. One things for certain, his inclusion would have all but decided where the points would be going in the Spanish capital city on Wednesday evening. Thank our lucky stars we have been dealt a softening of the Cameron Carter Vickers blow.
Paul Gillespie
