France handed hopeful Karim Benzema boost

The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner has endured an injury-hit start to the 2022/23 campaign, with the World Cup less than a week away.

Karim Benzema is ‘doing so much better’ in his recovery from injury, according to France and Real Madrid teammate Eduardo Camavinga.

The 34-year-old striker missed the last four games of Real Madrid’s LaLiga campaign before the World Cup break. In fact, he has only played 26 minutes of football since October 19. He had a knee injury first before suffering fatigue in his left quadriceps.

📸 Photo d’équipe avant le décollage pour la 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙥𝙚 𝙙𝙪 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙚 ! 🌍 #FiersdetreBleus

𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦́𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳 💙 pic.twitter.com/V3CHt7LnJU

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However, with less than a week until France kick off their Group D campaign against Australia in the World Cup, Camavinga has offered a hopeful update.

“He’s getting better. He’s doing so much better,” the 20-year-old midfielder told RMC Sport of Benzema. “I have a very good relationship with him, he helps me a lot at Real Madrid.

“He is a very great player who deserves what is happening to him. I hope he will be ready for the World Cup.

“Sometimes in a match he comes to see me and tells me, ‘If I have the ball you are going to do this run or this run’, so he gives me advice at the right moment. He also tells me when to stay in position. He is very good at communicating. He is a leader.”

France manager Deschamps, meanwhile, has called up Eintracht Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani to replace the injured Christopher Nkunku in his squad.