Technique Analysis: Deconstructing Karim Benzema’s stunning opener vs Athletic Club

Real Madrid added to their 14 game unbeaten streak (the club’s last loss came vs Espanyol over two months ago) with a 2-1 victory over Athletic Club at San Mames.

Karim Benzema was responsible for notching both of the goals, adding to his season leading tally for La Liga, and his first goal in particular may be a contender for goal of the season with the French international taking a Toni Kroos pass first time and curving it across the face of the goal and into the far corner.

I detailed Benzema’s exquisite technique in the following video:

Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT has a doctorate in physical therapy from Northern Arizona University, and runs his own in-person and online sports medicine and performance business, 3CB Performance, in West LA and Valencia, CA in which he further combines his movement expertise and fitness training. He also works at a hospital — giving him experience with patients in the immediate healthcare setting and neurological patients (post stroke, post brain injury) — and has been practicing for 4 years. Brar is additionally training at UCLA’s mindful awareness research center (MARC), has a background in youth football coaching and analyzes Real Madrid from a medical and skills perspective for Managing Madrid and on his own YouTube Channel. You can follow him on Twitter at @3cbPerformance.