Real Madrid Star Invited to Kick Off Game by Ligue 1 Club for Special Reason

• Karim Benzema is expected in Lyon on Friday to present his Ballon d’Or during the Ligue 1 match between Lyon and Nice
• The French striker was named the winner of the prestigious football award last month in Paris, claiming it for the first time in his career
• Benzema joined Real Madrid from Lyon in 2009, playing 148 games for the French club for four years

Real Madrid superstar Karim Benzema will be the guest of honor in Friday's Ligue 1 clash between Olympique Lyon and Nice.

The 34-year-old has been invited by Lyon to grace the game scheduled to take place at Groupama Stadium.

According to a report by Madrid Xtra, the Frenchman is expected to showcase his Ballon d'Or award before the match begins at the home of his former club.

Benzema edged out Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane and Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne to win his first Ballon d’Or award in Paris last month.

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He made 148 appearances in all competitions for Lyon between 2005 and 2009, scoring 66 goals.

The forward joined Real Madrid for a transfer fee reported to be in the region of €35 million, with the fee rising to as much as €41 million based on incentives.

Lyon considers Benzema one of the biggest exports and they often refer to him as a son of Lyon.

Ancelotti wants a fit Benzema

Meanwhile, Karim Benzema’s fitness and injury issues this season have been giving Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti some concerns, as Los Blancos bid to retain their La Liga and Champions League crown.

The 34-year-old forward has missed some crucial matches this season, which has forced Ancelotti to try a new attacking line-up involving Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Federico Valverde.

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According to Marca, Ancelotti has now revealed that Benzema will be needed by Real Madrid when domestic football resumes after the World Cup in Qatar, as he is an integral part of the team.

Karim Benzema injured again

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has suffered another injury setback, just days after winning his first Ballon d’Or trophy.

The 34-year-old forward, who has scored in back-to-back games for Real Madrid, missed Los Blancos’ training on Friday due to muscle fatigue in his quadriceps.

Benzema is set to miss Real Madrid’s La Liga clash against Sevilla after failing to recover in time for the crunch encounter.