Benzema: “My first season at Real Madrid was very difficult”

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema spoke about his rocky start when he joined Real Madrid from Lyon in an interview with French outlet Onze Mondial.

“My first season, the first six months, were very difficult, as I was alone and I didn’t speak the language so everything was complicated. I had arrived in a new world, with a new team, a different type of football. Luckily I didn’t give up.”

Benzema also revealed he had a minor issue with then-manager Jose Mourinho over the striker not featuring in a match against Mallorca.

“I remember I had a little problem with Jose Mourinho at one point. We met at the hotel and we had a conversation the day before a match against Real Mallorca.”

“I wasn’t supposed to play the game and, as we were arguing, I told him ‘Tomorrow you start me and I’ll score and I’ll make you win the game’. The next day I scored and we won 1-0.”

He discussed his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo and what he learned from playing with him for many seasons at the club and how Ronaldo’s skills were incapable of being replicated.

“When I watched what he did, I tried to concentrate on his movements: the dribbling, the finishing, the passing, his ball handling, I dissected everything about him. But, then it’s impossible to achieve the same thing.”

Benzema finished with what he still wants to achieve for club and country. Even in a season where he won a LaLiga title, Champions League title and likely the Ballon d’Or, he is still hungry for more trophies.

“I still have a lot of things in my head. I want to win more titles, more Champions Leagues. And with the national team, the World Cup. That’s all I have as a dream.”