21 February 2023 , 00:01
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Liverpool will have to deal with Karim Benzema in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 encounter on Tuesday after Carlo Ancelotti declared him fit to start for Real Madrid.
There had been doubt over whether Benzema would be available for the highly-anticipated clash at Anfield after missing Real’s 2-0 win over Osasuna in LaLiga on Saturday. Rodrygo started in place of the 35-year-old striker on the weekend, but it has since emerged that Ancelotti was only managing his minutes ahead of the crucial tie against Liverpool.
Benzema has struggled to stay fit all season and missed France’s World Cup campaign as a result. But when asked about his star striker in Monday’s pre-match press conference, Ancelotti allayed any doubts about his readiness. "I see Benzema looking well,” he said. “Tomorrow he will start."
The veteran striker scored 15 goals in 12 Champions League appearances last season to help Los Blancos win the highly-coveted trophy. Liverpool know all about his talents, having been beaten 1-0 in the final at the Stade de France in May.
He has 11 goals in 13 LaLiga appearances so far this season, but is yet to hit the heights of his outstanding 2021/22 campaign, which saw him score 44 goals and scoop the Ballon d’Or in October. Benzema will be hoping to end a five-game goal drought in the Champions League, having failed to net in 324 minutes in the competition since scoring in the semi-final second leg against Manchester City last season.
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While he can call upon Benzema’s experience up front, Ancelotti does have injury problems in midfield, where Toni Kroos and Aurelien Tchouameni are both absent. Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos have started the past two matches alongside Luka Modric in midfield and Ancelotti is confident they will perform well against Liverpool.
Karim Benzema trained with his Real Madrid team-mates on Monday (Pedro Castillo/Real Madrid via Getty Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Karim Benzema make all the difference for Real Madrid, or can Liverpool get the better of the defending champions? Comment below.
"We keep going with the transition of young players coming through and it has been forced on us a bit because of injuries,” he said. "I'm not worried about it as we have some good players who have come in.
"The players who have come in for Tchouameni and Kroos have done really well. Whoever comes in for them tomorrow I'm confident they will do well.
"Modric didn't have a good time in January but now he's back to his best level and he's going to keep growing. His condition is good and he still wants to play for Madrid."
Real Madrid qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League by finishing top of Group F on 13 points. They picked up four wins, one draw and one defeat against RB Leipzig, Celtic and Shakhtar Donetsk.
Despite taking 15 points, Liverpool went through in second place in Group A, with Napoli taking top spot on goal difference. After a tricky start to 2023, they come into the tie with some confidence following back-to-back 2-0 wins over Everton and Newcastle in the Premier League.