Benzema set to stay at Real Madrid for many years

Never doubted by Zidane and Perez

Posted Tuesday, March 21, 2017 by Marca.com

Real Madrid are looking to extend Karim Benzema's contract beyond its June 2019 end date, with his recent performances giving Zinedine Zidane and Florentino Perez extra motivation to ensure he stays.

The forward was vital in last weekend's 2-1 victory over Athletic Club, while he also scored a brace against Eibar on Los Blancos' previous Basque outing two weeks earlier.

"He is going to be with us for many years," is a phrase that has often been heard at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu and such an extension would keep both parties happy.

Benzema is content in the Spanish capital and feels like he has more support from his club than from his country, while he is now Real Madrid's eighth highest goalscorer with 177 goals, just five fewer than Paco Gento.

Curiously, the Frenchman is a player who receives plenty of praise from his teammates, while he is sometimes criticised by fans, usually for the chances he misses.

Yet his link up play at the tip of Los Blancos' attack has always been essential and he would be a major loss for Zidane if he were to depart.

With the French coach and with Perez both keen for the 29-year-old to stay, it would be a shock if Benzema is not in the squad for next season and beyond.