Real Madrid ‘angry at France’ national team

Real Madrid are ‘tremendously angry’ at France for having put Karim Benzema at risk despite Los Blancos’ warnings about the striker’s fitness problems.

Sources from the club have reportedly revealed to Spanish newspaper Marca they are deeply upset about their top scorer suffering an injury in the 80th minute of a friendly international game.

“Our warnings fell on deaf ears,” a source from the club was quoted to have confessed to Marca.

Benzema ended last week’s derby against Atletico de Madrid with some muscle problems. He didn’t train on Monday and Tuesday out of precaution. Los Merengues doctors then sent a report of the situation to France national team and warned them they shouldn’t take unnecessary risks with the player.

Yet, Didier Deschamps decided to include Benzema in the starting eleven of the friendly game against Armenia and kept him on the field until the 80th minute. At that moment, after scoring his second goal in France 4-0 victory, Benzema felt pain in his hamstring and had to be replaced.

Medical tests have revealed he suffers a grade one hamstring strain, as reported by Real Madrid News. He will miss between two and three weeks of action, including the crucial clashes against Paris Saint-Germain and Celta Vigo.

For Rafa Benitez, this situation is especially serious because he already had a worrying number of players in the sidelines. James Rodriguez, Danilo, Daniel Carvajal and Pepe are still recovering from their injuries, and Gareth Bale is not completely well yet.

With Benzema out, Cristiano Ronaldo will be Benitez’s only number 9, and the manager will probably have to call Borja Mayoral from the reserves team.

Benitez is not pleased at all with this situation, just like everyone at Real Madrid, and they are crossing their fingers for the rest of the international players to return safe and sound.