Karim Benzema is Real Madrid's emperor; a cat with 9 lives

In 2008, a young promising and relatively unknown French attacker was making the headlines in Europe with brilliant performances against top European teams like Manchester united and A.C Milan.

He was a teenager who debuted with Lyon of French Ligue 1 and was playing regularly with the likes of Michael Essien, Florent Malouda,etc..

So good he was that he was dubbed the “new Zidane”

In 2009, Madrid was looking for a replacement for Raul and they saw this young 21 year old as a replacement to Raul.

Both of them are natural number 9 players (because Cristiano came in also but as a winger).

And he was to understudy Raul in his last years before the Madrid legend and captain departed for Schalke 04.

So Madrid tabled a whooping £35m to Lyon and it was an offer too tempting to resist.

But the French side had to let their rising star player join the Spanish side.

And the rest today is more than history..it’s a story that is still told in the streets of Madrid.

Benzema Longevity in Madrid:

Jose Mourinho called Benzema a cat in 2011, and be was literally offended with that statement.

While many thought it was about his on and off moments on the pitch of football..

Little did they know that the ‘Special One’ was referring to the proverbial ‘cat with 9 lives‘

And truly we have seen that Benzema is a cat with more than 9 lives..

This is his eleventh season in Madrid, so his cat lives keep extending beyond the limited number 9.

How he manage to stay so long at Madrid I can’t say; but the fan’s love, his gentle and loving nature, Cristiano Ronaldo’s insistence on playing with Benzema always(why not, Benzema was a loyal servant who will easily give CR7 a pass to score when he can score it least the press will hear the cry baby’s voice after the match)

When Higuain was playing with Benzema and Ronaldo, most times Benzema comes off the bench as a substitute.

And news will spread of Benzema being shifted the next season to another club,

But he wasn’t; instead Higuain left for Napoli and the next season(2011/12) Benzema scored a total of 32 goals in all competition; his highest tally till date in Madrid.

Then came Madrid’s record signing in 2013, and Karim Benzema’s status and position again in the team was discussed.

But instead, he formed a deadly trio and partnership with the new Welshman and Ronaldo and they became the choice of attack for all Madrid’s coaches for a long time earning them the infamous BBC title.

And now, he has no rival as he is Madrid’s most in form striker who is bound to play another 2–3 seasons.

Last season, after Ronaldo’s departure to Juventus, he scored a total of 19 la liga goals and was always looked upon to save Madrid most times.

This season, he’s doing the same, his solo strike away to Sevilla sent Real Madrid comfortably to the top of la liga.

Conclusion:

In Robert Greene “48 laws of Power”, he talked about how good and strategic kings, Queens and Emperors outwitted oppositions and enemies and stayed at the throne for a long time….

With his longevity at Madrid, you will understand that Benzema must have read Robert Greene’s book a thousand times.

And he practices every thing he has read; and now he is the only Emperor at Madrid.