Chapter 640: Chapter 75: Red Card! Sent Off! Stunned!

So far this season, Benzema has scored 6 goals for Real Madrid, and 5 of them were achieved at the Bernabeu, but it must be pointed out that his goals are often inconsequential, such as those against Ajax and Auxerre.

Or some icing-on-the-cake goals, like those in the matches against Espanyol or Murcia.

Many Real Madrid fans believe that there’s no need to give Benzema any more chances, labeling him as a "waste."

However, the management of Real Madrid still holds expectations for the French forward, especially due to Negredo’s "resignation" and Higuain’s injury.

In such circumstances, Benzema got the opportunity to start in this match against Sevilla.

Benzema needs not only to break through the opponent’s goal but also to prove his critical role; however, so far in the match, he hasn’t managed to do so.

Statistics show that Benzema has not made a shot, nor a key pass, nor a steal so far, has been caught offside 6 times, with only 11 passes in total, including 8 errors, and provided a disappointing 9 times of losing possession in the match.

No matter from which perspective, Benzema’s performance is unqualified.

Mourinho angrily returned to his seat, muttering as he stared at the "lazy" Benzema on the field: "Why is he so lethargic? Can’t he move his damn legs?"

"I can’t believe the club management refuses to bring in a strong center forward in the winter transfer window."

"We need a center forward; Rikam’s performance is a regret, he hasn’t threatened the opponent’s goal at all and hasn’t created opportunities for his teammates."

The winter transfer window is about to open, and Mourinho has repeatedly urged the club management to bring in a No. 9 center forward for him.

Whether it’s Fernando Llorente, the former player Milito, or Dzeko...

Any of them would work...

But after overcoming countless obstacles, Real Madrid’s president Florentino’s attitude is extremely firm, as he resolutely stated in discussions with Mourinho about this issue: "We will not introduce new players in the winter transfer market."

This seems to have become a kind of...

An obsession?

No matter what, I just won’t bring in new players in the winter...

Recently, the management of Real Madrid and Mourinho’s coaching staff often have discussions about whether to introduce a No. 9 center forward, but, according to insider information, it’s not accurate to call these discussions because this issue hasn’t been seriously brought to the table for serious analysis.

The reason is simple, the management has made it clear: there’s no need for reinforcements in the winter.

Just before the match against Sevilla, at a Saturday press conference, Mourinho was still complaining about the shortage of forwards, which greatly limited his lineup options.

He even took pains to analyze through the media: "If the match goes smoothly, it’s fine for Benzema to start."

"For example, against Zaragoza, we are leading 3-0, then there’s no need to bring on attackers in the final moments." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"The problem is what if one day we are behind or tied with the opponent, and there are still twenty or thirty minutes in the match, and I want to make a change in attack, then I have no forwards to use."

To be fair, Mourinho’s analysis is indeed reasonable, except for Negredo and Higuain, Benzema has never been in form, and Morata is the future of the team.

As for Joselu mentioned?

Mourinho just said that Real Madrid having a 16-year-old Chen Zhong is already using up all their luck, not every young player is Chen Zhong.

Look at Barcelona’s Bojan to understand.

What is he like now?

When Mourinho said this, the management of Real Madrid responded in a "fight fire with fire" manner: "Only one forward available? Doesn’t Barcelona also have only one Villa available?"

Mourinho watched as Benzema, seeming to move as if sleepwalking, lost possession again, gritting his teeth in frustration.

He glanced at Chen Zhong, then at Florentino.

Real Madrid is different from the teams he has coached in the past.

Neither Inter Milan, Chelsea, nor Porto...

Gave Mourinho the same "pressure" or "constraint" he feels at Real Madrid.

When he argued his case with Florentino, he found no one supporting him, and Florentino, after consulting many esteemed figures like Stefano, Valdano, Zidane, and Butragueño, ultimately decided not to bring in new players in the winter.

The management’s idea for Real Madrid is clear; they want Mourinho to learn from Barcelona. Mourinho still remembers their exact words: "Barcelona has only one striker, Villa, on their attacking line, but Guardiola can use Pedro, Iniesta, Messi, and Xavi to supplement attack strength and scoring."

"Real Madrid also has many versatile players, C. Ronaldo, Di Maria, Chen Zhong, Pedro León, and Kaka all are, and also the youth team center forward Morata can be used, and Castilla’s Joselu has his characteristics."

The abacus beads almost flew into Mourinho’s face.

Once, Chen Zhong briefly played the forward position, probably for one or two games for the first team?

But in Mourinho’s view, asking an all-powerful warrior like Chen Zhong to play center forward is a shameful waste. Of course, Chen Zhong in the center forward position can certainly have an unexpected impact, and even in certain fixed tactics, he is top-notch.