Former Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has praised the squad strength of Paris Saint-Germain, using it as a yard stick for Los Blancos to improve.
The Spanish capital giants have struggled for this season which has seen the departure of head coach Xabi Alonso and exits from the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey, while they are currently nine points behind fierce rivals Real Madrid under current boss Alvaro Arbeloa.
It leaves Madrid with the likelihood of finishing the campaign without silverware once again, something that never happened during Benzema’s time when he won 25 titles between 2009 and 2023.
The 38-year-old Frenchman, now with Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal, compared the current PSG squad under Luis Enrique to his era in Madrid, which is now lacking under Arbeloa.
“At PSG you line up the starters, they play and play…The coach makes a substitution in the 60th or 70th minute, and the ones who come on contribute more than the ones who started the game,” he said in an Instagram Live with French rapper Rohff per Marca.
“And they’re supposed to be the substitutes, can you believe it? Everyone knows what they have to do and what they have to contribute.
“The starter knows it and the substitute knows it too. And the one on the bench is not angry. Now they have a team without stars, apart from Ousmane Dembele, who won the Ballon d’Or, but it doesn’t matter…
“They press, they defend, they attack. The best known at PSG is Luis Enrique. But it’s a real team. Whoever you put up front, they all work together, and the substitutes perform just as well. That’s why they’re so good.
“At Madrid it’s more complicated because you don’t play as much as a team. Today he is suffering because he doesn’t play as a team. I will shine, no problem, but without you I can’t shine.”
Benzema’s career began with Olympique Lyon where he spent five years and scored 66 goals and provided 25 assists in 148 appearances, winning seven titles, including the Ligue 1 four times before moving to Real Madrid.
