Following Real Madrid’s 3-2 defeat to Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Monday night, club legend Guti has hit out at Karim Benzema, claiming that the Frenchman is letting the team down by prioritising the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Real Madrid’s loss to Rayo meant that they have won just one of their last four fixtures in all competitions, while they have now fallen two points behind Barcelona in the La Liga title race. The gap could widen to five points if Barça beat CA Osasuna later tonight.
The recent results have allowed the Blaugrana to gain an advantage in the battle for the league crown. And it has coincided with Benzema’s absence from matches due to ‘muscle fatigue’.
The 34-year-old Ballon d’Or winner has missed each of Real Madrid’s last three La Liga matches, two of which they have failed to win.
There have been doubts that Benzema’s absence has more to do with him avoiding risking a serious injury ahead of the FIFA World Cup even though Carlo Ancelotti has been denying any such notions.
However, club legend Guti has now lashed out at the French international claiming that he is letting the team down, citing names like Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski as examples who continue to play for their clubs despite the World Cup looming.
"I don’t understand him. Messi is playing with PSG, Lewandowski is playing with Barcelona and so many other players. You have to accept the risk of injuries before the World Cup, you can’t let your club down," Guti said on El Chiringuito TV.
The former Real Madrid superstar also questioned the team’s decision not to sign a replacement for the veteran centre-forward, saying: "We all knew this could happen, I don’t understand how Madrid doesn’t have a replacement."
Despite the lack of a natural striker to cover for Benzema, Ancelotti has remained adamant that Real Madrid will not enter the market for a new player in the position in the January transfer window.
Rodrygo Goes has done well when deployed as a No. 9, but with their title defence showing signs of falling apart, it would bode well for Los Blancos to look for a new striker come the winter window.