Chapter 754 - 32: Peerless Sharpness
Chapter 754 - 32: Peerless Sharpness
Riazor StadiumChen Zhong and Benzema executed a perfect play.
With his back to the goal, Benzema smoothly passed the ball to Kaka’s feet. Kaka’s acceleration was extremely fast. Although he was no longer the "competitive spirit" he used to be, content with playing a supporting role, he could instantly become a lethal weapon whenever the team needed.
Kaka dribbled horizontally, attracting the Deportivo La Coruña players, who formed a human Great Wall in an attempt to block Kaka’s shot. Kaka’s low shot was both quick and fierce.
There was a muffled clang as the ball struck the inside of the post and then bounced into the net.
"Goal!"
"Kaka!"
"The front-line connection!"
"An attack initiated by Chen Zhong, with Benzema as the pivot, assisted Kaka in scoring!"
"1:0"
"Real Madrid broke the deadlock in the 13th minute of the match."
"Their front-line trident showed tremendous power."
Mourinho couldn’t help but pump his fist after seeing Kaka’s goal.
After Benzema scored a crucial goal in the last game, the club’s top brass began to pay attention to Kaka.
Kaka and Benzema both joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2009.
The Brazilian star arrived at Real Madrid in late June, while the Frenchman’s arrival date was a week later than Kaka’s.
Since joining the team, the performances of both stars have raised quite a few doubts.
Right now, Benzema has started to prove that he can secure his place at Real Madrid, but 2007 Ballon d’Or winner Kaka still hasn’t provided the team with significant contributions.
Although Kaka securely holds a starting position, pressing the summer transfer window acquisition Di Maria firmly onto the bench, his on-field stats are far from satisfactory.
Kaka underwent knee surgery last August and was out for four months. Now that he’s been back for two months post-injury, he still hasn’t showcased his level.
The questions surrounding Kaka and his performance are growing, making him seem further from Florentino’s ideal image of a 65 million Euro superstar.
There were even reports of interest in Kaka from teams like Corinthians and Blackburn, but Real Madrid president Florentino has not given up on Kaka. According to Friday’s "Marca," Florentino hopes Mourinho, having rejuvenated Benzema, can also restore Kaka’s glory. The Real Madrid president essentially pleaded with Mourinho, saying, "Jose, after bringing Rikam back to form, your challenge now is to help Kaka find his groove."
After his performance in the last match, there is no suspense that Benzema will continue with Real Madrid next season. Not long ago, many believed that Benzema would undoubtedly be cleared out of Real Madrid in the summer after Adebayor joined.
Benzema’s outstanding performance has also significantly increased Mourinho’s trust in him.
It is worth mentioning that, according to Spanish football insider Jose Felix, Mourinho wanted to sell Benzema last summer, but Florentino stated that Real Madrid should still give Benzema time.
Now, in Mourinho’s 2011-12 season lineup planning, Benzema’s name is prominently listed.
Over the past two months, Benzema’s contributions to the team have surpassed those of the previous year and a half. His involvement in the matches has become increasingly strong, and his performance has become increasingly important.
As of today, unless there’s an exorbitant offer from the outside, Benzema will continue to stay at Real Madrid.
News about Kaka is now no longer just a footnote but has become a worrying reality.
Many within the Real Madrid Club express concern that such a high-priced asset is currently delivering this level of stats, which is a huge issue.
Kaka should not be content with playing a supporting role, given his physical data. He should be delivering a better performance.
However, all news regarding Kaka’s potential transfer away from Real Madrid is not true. The rumors about Real Madrid selling Kaka to half of Europe are even more baseless.
Florentino now places his hopes on Mourinho, hoping that the Portuguese coach can rejuvenate Kaka much like he activated Benzema.
Renowned journalist Jose Felix reports that the Real Madrid Club won’t outline a list of those to be cleared out until late March.
However, Kaka’s condition is indeed concerning.
Chelsea wanted to bring in Kaka last summer and still keeps an eye on his every move.
Abramovich states that Chelsea’s pursuit of Kaka is not related to whether Ancelotti stays on as Chelsea’s coach.
The Russian billionaire has long hoped to acquire Kaka, and if Kaka transfers, it’s most likely to Chelsea.
There are unverified rumors that Chelsea is even willing to offer 30 million Euros plus Drogba to acquire Kaka, and Drogba is a player Mourinho very much desires.
There are also reports that Kaka might return to Brazil.
Brazilian media states that now that Carlos and Ronaldo have left, the Corinthians Club is interested in acquiring Kaka.
However, such a mission seems unlikely to be completed. On one hand, it’s improbable for Kaka to return to the Brazilian league now; on the other, he’s unlikely to accept the possibility of joining Sao Paulo’s arch-rivals, whom he loves.
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