Tag Archives: Karim Benzema

Malawi, Regional, Sports

Real Madrid player Benzema wins 2022 Ballon D’Or, sweeping aside Sadio Mane, teammate Thibaut

Chisomo Phiri
Benzema shines

PARIS-(MaraviPos)-Karim Benzema of Real Madrid has been named the 2022 Ballon D’Or winner after an awesome season in which he won the Champions League and La Liga.

Benzema won the award ahead of teammate Thibaut Courtois at an event that took place on Monday October 17,2022 at the Theatre Chatelet in Paris.

He was the clear favorite to take home the illustrious award even before the ceremony.

The Madrid striker had the best chance of being named the world’s finest footballer because one of the innovations of this year’s Ballon d’Or was that journalists voted based on the player’s previous season’s performance rather than what he had displayed during the calendar year (as has been the case since the first edition).

Cristiano Ronaldo was on hand to witness Karim Benzema’s triumph at the award show.

Note that Ronaldo has five Ballon d’Or to his name, four with Real Madrid (2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017) and one with Manchester United in 2008.

He is two Ballon d’Or away from his career rival Lionel Messi, who has a record seven.

As for Benzema, he had to beat the likes of Sadio Mane of Bayern Munich, Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City, and Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona to win his first Ballon d’Or.

Benzema, who is a striker for Real Madrid of La Liga and the France national team, was born on December 19, 1987, in France.

He is a professional football player.

Benzema is a playmaker and prolific attacker who is well-known for his finishing and playmaking.

He is frequently recognized as one of the greatest strikers of all time.

He is the leading assist maker and second-highest goal scorer for Real Madrid all-time.

Benzema changed from a false nine to a lone striker in the wake of Ronaldo’s departure in 2018.

He was named to the La Liga Team of the Season in 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22, received the league’s Best Player award in 2019-20 and 2021-22, and also took home the Pichichi Trophy in 2021-22, all of which considerably elevated his reputation inside the Real Madrid club.

In addition to leading the team in goals and receiving Player of the Season honors, his outstanding career-high performances during Real Madrid’s victory in the 2021–22 Champions League have been recognized as one of the best individual campaigns in the competition’s history.

With Real Madrid, Benzema has amassed 23 trophies, including five Champions League titles, two Copa del Reys, and four La Liga championships.

Sports

Real Madrid draws at home against Chelsea in Champions League semis

Maravi Post Reporter
Christian Pulisic (centre) skips past Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois before shooting to open the scoring for Chelsea. Photograph: Isabel Infantes/PA

Chelsea grabbed the away advantage against Real Madrid in first leg of the Champions League Semi Finals as Christian Pulisic scored an important goal in the match that ended 1-1, keeping the tie delicately balanced.

Former Chelsea player, Eden Hazard started on the bench. He came off the bench in the 66th minute, to make only his third appearance in three months, with Zinedine Zidane deciding the Belgian was not ready to start at Valdebebas.

Marcelo and Dani Carvajal were picked as wing-backs and Nacho Fernandez continued in a back three in the absence of Sergio Ramos.

Chelsea kept faith with Timo Werner up front after he scored his first goal in two months on Saturday against West Ham.

Thomas Tuchel stuck with the same side that won that game, with Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount joining Werner in the front three.

Chelsea made a bright start in heavy rain at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium and deservedly went ahead when the United States international Pulisic rounded Thibaut Courtois and put Chelsea ahead on 14 minutes at Valdebebas with a well-taken finish.

The 13-time winners of the competition, Real Madrid, looked ragged and short on ideas but pulled level in the 29th with a moment of true class from the talismanic French forward Karim Benzema, who controlled a knockdown on his chest before volleying into the roof of the net.

The Frenchman moved level with former Real Madrid striker Raul after notching his 71st Champions League goal, fourth most in the competition’s history.

Chelsea looked the better side in the second half as well but could not break down Real Madrid again and then had to withstand some late pressure from the hosts, who are looking to reach the final for a fifth time in eight years.

Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea hosts Zinedine Zidane’s side in the second leg at Stamford Bridge on May 5.