Benzema returning to boost Real

Valencia, May 11

Karim Benzema is returning to full fitness at just the right time for Real Madrid, who will play Atletico Madrid in Champions League final on May 28.

Coach Zinedine Zidane was relieved to see the Frenchman come back from a hamstring problem and score in Sunday’s 3-2 triumph over Valencia, a result that kept Real just a point behind Barcelona with one game to go in the race for the league title. “He’s not been at 100 per cent for a while. We’ve seen that it wasn’t easy for him physically,” Zidane told Real’s website. “(Against Valencia) he coped with it well and without any problems. We’ve got two games left. He’s getting better every day and he’s not feeling any discomfort from his last injury.”

Benzema has missed 15 games this season through injury but has still scored 28 goals in 34 games in all competitions — close to his record of 31 goals in the 2011-12 campaign, the year Real last won La Liga. He has found the back of the net in 20 of his 34 appearances for Real in the 2015-16 campaign, scoring six more goals than last season. Cristiano Ronaldo is Real’s leading scorer in the league with 33 goals. Benzema is expected to start Saturday’s league season finale at Deportivo La Coruña.