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Benzema extends Madrid contract to 2021
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This file photo taken on Aug. 16, 2017 shows Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema celebrating after scoring during the second leg of the Spanish Supercup football match Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, on Aug.16, 2017. Karim Benzema became the latest Real Madrid star to sign a new bumper four-year contract with the European Champions to 2021, the club announced on Sept. 20, 2017. (Agence France-Presse/Gabriel Bouys)
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arim Benzema became the latest Real Madrid star to sign a new bumper four-year contract with the European champions to 2021, the club announced on Wednesday.
"Real Madrid and Benzema have agreed to extend the contract of the player, who will remain tied to the club until June 30, 2021," Madrid said in a statement.
Vice-captain Marcelo, Isco and Dani Carvajal all extended to 2022 over the past week as Real reward key members of the squad that became the first side to retain the Champions League trophy in June.
Coach Zinedine Zidane's renewal is also imminent after the Frenchman repeated on Tuesday that his deal is "done".
Benzema is currently sidelined by a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out for another month.
The 29-year-old has won 14 trophies, including three Champions League and two La Liga titles, since joining Real from Lyon as one of Europe's most promising strikers in 2009.
The Frenchman's eight-year stint at the Santiago Bernabeu has been filled with highs and lows.
Jose Mourinho complained of his meek nature claiming he wanted a "hunter" whilst describing Benzema as a "cat" when Real boss, and Benzema has often found himself whistled by the demanding Bernabeu crowd for his lack of killer instinct.
"When you play at a big club and you are a big player, you will always receive criticism. If you are never criticised, it is because you are a small player," Benzema said in May.
However, it is his unselfish play that has seen him form a perfect partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo and see off the challenge of Gonzalo Higuain and Alvaro Morata among others to be Madrid's number nine.
"Morata plays so little under Zidane because Benzema is the best striker to play with Cristiano," another of Benzema's former Madrid coaches Carlo Ancelotti told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera before June's Champions League final.
As well as helping Ronaldo to smash Madrid's all-time goalscoring records, Benzema has also been a prolific scorer himself.
His 181 Madrid goals at just under a goal every two games is the eighth best in the club's history and just one off club legend and six-time European Cup winner Paco Gento.
