07 February 2023 , 09:35
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Cristiano Ronaldo’s former personal trainer Javier Atalaya has claimed the Portuguese superstar “could not stand” the fitness regime of Karim Benzema.
Javier Atalaya is now the personal trainer of Benzema at Real Madrid and also worked closely with Ronaldo’s fitness regime during his spell in the Spanish capital. He has explained how the Frenchman is adept at recovering quickly from injuries due to his training routine.
Benzema, 35, limped out of Real's 2-0 win against Valencia at the Bernabeu to cast doubt over his participation in the upcoming last-16 tie. Yet manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed the injury is "very light" amid hopes that he will return to action swiftly.
However, the striker did sit out Madrid’s weekend defeat at Real Mallorca in La Liga amid concerns that he could be set for several weeks on the sidelines. His participation in the upcoming Champions League first leg clash against Liverpool in the Round of 16 may also be in doubt.
Atalaya has now issued a fitness update on the striker. The personal trainer has clarified: "Karim is getting better every day. He is at home, without having anything to do, and he goes down to the gym to train. The Frenchman's mentality involves improving every day."
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In a move to highlight the comparison between Benzema and Ronaldo in an attempt to underline the intensity of the Frenchman’s regime, he added: "Even Cristiano could not stand the training that Benzema does."
Ronaldo and Benzema won four Champions League titles during their time together at Real Madrid (Photo by Lars Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images)Have Your Say! Will Real Madrid progress past Liverpool in the Champions League? Tell us what you think here.
Liverpool must win the Champions League to ensure they do not finish the season without a major trophy. The Reds, who defeated Manchester City 3-1 to win the Community Shield last July, are enduring a difficult campaign under Jurgen Klopp.
They have already faced eliminations in both the FA Cup and EFL Cup – two trophies which they won last season – while they are out of the Premier League title race, with a double-digit points gap to the top four. Unless they win the Champions League, they may miss out on qualification for the tournament next season.
Real Madrid have enjoyed a strong record against Klopp’s Liverpool in European competition, defeating them in the 2018 and 2022 Champions League finals, alongside the quarter-final stage in the 2020/21 tournament.