Benzema ready for Haaland in Madrid, responds to Ronaldo rumours

Karim Benzema has no issue with talk of Erling Haaland joining Real Madrid as he has become accustomed to speculation linking the club with other strikers. 

Haaland’s future remains a subject of great interest in the media, with the Norway international continuing to be prolific for Borussia Dortmund. 

The 20-year-old, who already has 31 goals in all competitions this season, has been linked with a move to Madrid, along with another highly talented young forward in Kylian Mbappe. 

Ahead of the second leg of Los Blancos’ last-16 Champions League tie with Atalanta on Tuesday, Benzema spoke about the possibility of Haaland heading to the Spanish capital at some stage in the future. 

“He’s not at the club,” the Frenchman, whose double against Elche at the weekend moved him to 20 goals for the season, told the media. 

“I’ve spent many years here and every month they talk about strikers and people who can get a lot of goals. 

“He’s young and he does a lot for his team. He has to work more for his team and if one day he has the opportunity, and he comes here, then so be it.”

 @Benzema: “We have to set out and play with a lot of ambition to win this game.”#UCL pic.twitter.com/rJgZJBLB43

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) March 15, 2021

Benzema was also asked in the pre-match news conference about Cristiano Ronaldo, the club’s all-time leading scorer who has been linked with a sensational return. 

Ronaldo left in July 2018, moving to Juventus. “The time has come to open a new stage in my life,” he said at the time of the stunning transfer. 

However, Juve’s exit from the Champions League to Porto means they have failed to make it any further than the quarter-final stage during the Portugal forward’s three years at the club, with reports in Spain suggesting the player is keen to head back to Madrid. 

“I did a lot with him here, a lot of goals and assists. It’s already been three years [without him],” Benzema said about Ronaldo, who scored a hat-trick for Juve against Cagliari on Sunday. 

“He’s at another team. I’m neither the president nor the coach. I don’t know if he’s happy or not at Juventus. 

“I played with him in another time… we always got on well together. And we always scored goals.”

87 – Cristiano #Ronaldo has scored 87 goals in March among clubs and Portugal, a record for him in career in a single month. MONSTER.#CagliariJuventus #SerieA #CagliariJuve pic.twitter.com/shtFeIVnV1

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) March 14, 2021

As for his own future, Benzema remains relaxed about the situation but is willing to open talks about extending his stay at “the best club in the world”. 

“I go day by day. I enjoy every training session, every match,” he explained. “I have a contract until 2022 but my door is open if the president wants me to renew. It’s the best club in the world.”