Zidane hails Benzema

Zinedine Zidane said Karim Benzema is the best number nine in the world after his hattrick led Real Madrid to a 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

Benzema has been one of the few bright sparks in an otherwise dreary campaign for the European champions and his second-half treble at the Santiago Bernabeu took his tally to 30 goals for the season.

“What he has done here over 10 years means everything,” Zidane said. “For me he is the best, but others might disagree.”

Victory moves Madrid four points behind second-placed Atletico and keeps them 13 adrift of Barcelona, while Bilbao stay seventh, with their chances dented of sealing a spot in the Europa League.

Benzema’s advance in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and surge since the reappointment of Zidane comes in stark contrast to Gareth Bale, who was whistled when introduced as a substitute here and frequently during his 20 minutes on the pitch.

For all the impatience of the home crowd, it was Bale who won the corner for Benzema’s second and then teed up his team-mate’s third in injury-time.

But his sixth season at Real Madrid will surely be his last, with Zidane saying little either to express support or suggest he wants the Welshman to stay beyond the summer.

“The shame was he had a chance to score and I felt sorry for him because I would have liked him to score today,” Zidane said.

Bale and Benzema were left with the gargantuan task of filling the void left by Ronaldo’s departure last summer and while Bale seems to have shrivelled under the weight of expectation, Benzema has thrived.