The announcement of Karim Benzema’s package, and the amazement it generated for many observers of the France team, gave way to misunderstanding. Was the Madrid player ready to resume collective training with his teammates? The question deserves to be asked. The management of the return of the Ballon d’Or 2022 is on everyone’s lips and Samir Nasri was the first to open the debate by speaking on the set of Canal +.
According to the former professional player converted into a consultant, the Karim Benzema case should have been better managed to put him in the best conditions for the knockout phase without rushing his return to competition. “I think the management was bad with him, he’s a special player who needs special attention. We didn’t necessarily need Benzema for Australia, Tunisia and Denmark.”said Samir Nasri in particular.
An injury and an avoidable package?
Visibly very upset, the former player of Marseille, Arsenal and City among others, continued his rant. “He’s a player who takes you to the next level and so we needed him for the knockout matches. You shouldn’t push him, he’s a player last season who played almost 60 games, it’s normal that he feels a certain fatigue, he’s 34 years old. So I don’t think it was necessary to push for this start of the competition.” he concluded bitterly.
It must be said that Samir Nasri spoke with Karim Benzema by telephone, shortly after the announcement of his package, and the Real Madrid striker was clearly “disappointed”, according to the confessions of the consultant who points the finger at the responsibility of the medical staff of the France team in his remarks. Indeed, he repeats in particular twice that it would have been better not to “to push” to come back too soon. Especially since in the wake of his statements, details of the arrival of the Madrid player at Clairefontaine came out in the media.
Warning signs?
We learn in particular that Karim Benzema arrived at the assembly point of the France team and the Real Madrid player immediately began an adapted recovery program. Very applied, the main interested party seemed able to be back for the first meeting of the Blues against Australia on Tuesday. Nevertheless, the doubt was never completely lifted in the head of the coach, Didier Deschamps, who took the case of his striker very seriously.
In addition to his physical poor shape, the behavior of Karim Benzema at Clairefontaine could have put a flea in the ear of the medical staff of the tricolor selection. Distant and disturbed, the Madrid native was not in top form and it showed, according to the latest information from our colleagues from The Team. The management of his case begins, therefore, to arouse doubts, especially in the entourage of the Real striker. Unfortunately the rest of the story is now known, the doubts have become reality and the France team has lost one of its best attacking assets. It is now time to understand how this situation could not be avoided.