Benzema case: what really happened between him and Vinicius

This video shows why Benzema got so upset with Vinicius

Karim Benzema has once again been the great scapegoat of the football scene since yesterday. The Real forward was filmed at half-time in the 2-2 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach, while complaining to his compatriot Ferland Mendy about his attacking partner Vinicius Junior. “He does what he wants. Brother, I don’t play with him anymore. In my mother’s life. He’s playing against us,” Benzema whispered to Mendy in French in the catacombs of Borussia Park.

Of course, the short sequence of the video went around the world and Benzema had to endure a lot of criticism. In many places, however, the 32-year-old Frenchman’s words were not reproduced correctly. In many media translations it appeared that Benzema had asked his colleague Mendy not to fit in with Vinicius anymore. A small but significant difference.

The video clip, taken out of context, does not show the whole truth of what happened between Benzema and Vinicius that night. The French television channel “RMC Sport” has shed light on the darkness. A compilation of some scenes from the first half clearly shows why Benzema was so upset by Vinicius.

Several passes from the Brazilian missed his French attack partner. Sometimes Vinicius did not raise his head, sometimes he adapted to a less well-positioned teammate, sometimes he played high and wide flank rather than short and flat in free space. Of Vinicius’s 18 passes, only two reached Benzema in the first 45 minutes. So understandable, the experienced Real forward got upset with his young teammate.

Furthermore, the video recordings of “BT Sport” show how Benzema had a lively discussion with Vinicius and Mendy in the center circle after the break. It is more than likely that Benzema would have given his attacking partner a few more tactical instructions before the second half.

Of course, it is not the best (and not very smart) way to resolve not to pass one of your teammates anymore. Benzema could now also be accused of having implemented this. Until the replacement of Vinicius in the 70th minute, the Frenchman did not concede the young Brazilian once.

But even throughout the first half, only three passes from Benzema made it to Vinicius. It’s much more likely, and after watching the video above, that Benzema and Vinicius just didn’t work together, at least that night they didn’t.

The fact is that the French veteran certainly did not behave properly during the break. However, he is not the villain that Benzema was quick to see the video clip for. Anyone who has never blasphemed a teammate in soccer should throw the first stone.

The Real forward remained calm on Instagram despite all the excitement about himself. In one story, the scorer initially reported the 1: 2 goal: “While the dogs are barking, the number 9 is on his way.” Benzema then listed the records he had recently set in a post and wrote: “Of course no one wants to discuss that.”