Benzema equals unwanted El Clasico record

Karim Benzema could not influence El Clasico on Sunday as Real Madrid slumped to a defeat against Barcelona at Camp Nou. As a result, he entered the history books for the wrong reasons. 

The French forward was an injury doubt for the match, and given the result, might wish that he had been allowed to sit out the fixture. 

A half-fit Benzema failed to score for the second El Clasico in a row after scoring in the previous two this season. 

Barcelona won thanks to a late goal from Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie to open a 12-point gap at the top of the LaLiga table. 

The 2-1 victory was Barcelona’s third in a row over Real Madrid in official games in the 2022/23 season. 

Benzema’s involvement in all of them has placed him alongside another Los Blancos legend as a leader in an unfavourable El Clasico record. 

The loss to Barcelona on Sunday was the 20th of Benzema’s Real Madrid career, drawing him level with Sergio Ramos for the most losses in El Clasico. 

After 43 appearances against Barcelona for Real Madrid, Benzema has won just 14 matches and lost 20 times. 

Benzema could surpass Sergio Ramos this season for losses in El Clasico as he still has to face the Catalan Giants in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal. 

With Barcelona already winning three consecutive El Clasicos, there is a real possibility that Benzema could lose his 21st El Clasico when they meet at Camp Nou in April.