January 14, (THEWILL) – Real Madrid manager, Carlo Ancelotti, has declared that Karim Benzema’s return to full fitness has given his team a boost heading into the second half of the season.
Benzema had struggled with persistent hamstring problems in the first few months of the season, which forced him to miss France’s World Cup campaign in Qatar. However, he has been in fine form in recent weeks, scoring four goals in his past three games, including a goal in Wednesday’s Supercopa de Espana win over Valencia.
This sets up a highly-anticipated final against arch-rivals, Barcelona, on Sunday. Ancelotti is confident that the 35-year-old is fit and ready to lead the line against Barcelona, saying: “Benzema is back. That gives us a lot of confidence – for the next few games and this second half of the season.”
Despite Madrid’s recent success, winning the Champions League, La Liga, Supercopa de Espana and UEFA Super Cup, Ancelotti insists that his players are still hungry for more trophies. He stated, “We are talking about players who have not only won last year.
“They have started winning in 2013, and they will never have a full belly because they have a mental quality that is very high. Also, because we are in a very demanding club, and it doesn’t allow you to have a full belly.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
