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The real reason why Barcelona didn’t sign Karim Benzema

Rishabh Gupta
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Marca has revealed the real reason why Barcelona didn’t proceed to sign Karim Benzema, and it’s downright weird.

Karim Benzema has established himself as one of the mainstays in Real Madrid’s starting XI ever since joining the side in 2009.

However, Barcelona had the chance to sign the footballer a year earlier and even conducted a meeting with Benzema. However, the Catalan side passed the chance.

Spanish outlet Marca has now disclosed the real reason behind Barcelona’s decision to not make a move for the French striker.

Barcelona were searching for a forward in 2008 when Pep Guardiola arrived as the permanent head coach of the side. He wasn’t inclined on using Samuel Eto’o as the first-choice striker.

 

The club identified Karim Benzema as their main target for the position and Txiki Begisristain was in-charge of the operation. He visited the player’s house to discuss a potential transfer.

According to Marca, Begisristain didn’t like Benzema’s company of friends, and his habit of not making an eye-contact during the conversation annoyed the Barca man.

Barcelona decided to not pursue the player any longer. Real Madrid made an attempt to sign the French forward a year later and succeeded.

The Catalan side bought Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2009 and David Villa a year later as the club enjoyed significant success under Pep Guardiola.

Benzema took his time to adapt to the Spanish conditions but eventually succeeded at Real Madrid. Even when he has been inconsistent over the past few seasons, Benzema continues to lead the forward line for the Spanish side.

The forward recently made his 300th La Liga appearance for Real Madrid. Benzema has scored 211 goals for the Spanish giants in 451 games across all competitions.

In the current season, Benzema is currently the highest goalscorer for Real Madrid, with 19 goals in 39 appearances.

About the author

Rishabh Gupta

Rishabh Gupta

A sports enthusiast. Sports, I believe, is one of the few powers which help us grow, both as an individual and society. With each day, in the rich world of sports, I grow.

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