Karim Benzema, the winner of the Ballon d’Or, believes that he has developed into a team leader, according to Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Since Cristiano Ronaldo departed Real Madrid for Juventus in 2018, the striker, who joined the team in 2009, has grown to become the team’s leader.
On Monday, Benzema received his first Ballon d’Or award in recognition of his efforts in helping Real win the La Liga and Champions League double with 44 goals in 46 games.
In a news conference, Ancelotti said, “He’s a player who has a lot more responsibility, he feels much more of a leader.
His talent is the same as it was eight years ago, but his attitude has changed, and he is now much more of a leader.
The Portuguese striker Ronaldo, who is now the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, won the title four times while playing for Real, with Benzema serving as more of a supporter.
Manchester City won the club of the year accolade after defeating Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals.
Real Madrid won the Champions League as a result of being deemed the greatest team, according to Ancelotti. Naturally, I have the utmost regard for (City), but we won the greatest award in May.
Real defeated Barcelona in the Clasico on Sunday and will face Elche on Wednesday as the league’s top club. The Italian coach has urged his squad to remain focused.
We need to exert a little more pressure, said Ancelotti. “It’s usual to have higher focus during high-level games, but it’s a little tougher to have maximal attention after a game that taxed your mental and physical faculties so much,” the author says.
Due to sciatica, Thibaut Courtois, who on Monday received the Yashin Trophy as the finest goalkeeper of the year, will be out of commission. Andriy Lunin will continue to fill in.