In Gao Shen's previous life, many people felt sorry for Benzema, believing he had sacrificed too much for Real Madrid. Many considered him the most underrated center forward of the decade before Gao Shen's transmigration.
This assessment is both right and wrong.
Why right? Because Benzema is undoubtedly gifted, physically strong, and technically well-rounded—especially in his delicate footwork. Back when he played for Lyon, from Ferguson to Wenger, and even Barcelona's then sporting director Begiristain, anyone who saw him play would sigh in admiration.
Hey, you're a real genius!
At Lyon, the young Benzema showed remarkable drive and extraordinary talent. People saw in him a blend of Ronaldo, Henry, and Trezeguet.
All of this seems to confirm one thing—this kid is incredibly complete.
But being too complete often brings its own problems.
Just like Yaya Touré, Pogba, Modrić, and Toni Kroos...
How do you find your true position?
That's the issue.
Suárez has always been a very complete player. From his days at Groningen to Ajax, he used his strength to dominate, playing across the front line—left, center, or right.
But it wasn't until he arrived in the Premier League, under Gao Shen's guidance, that he fully unleashed his potential.
Due to his depth of play, he became a comprehensive forward. Or rather, he could no longer be called a typical center forward.
Strictly speaking, he was more of a center forward plus a nine-and-a-half.
Look at Suárez's heat maps and movement areas—you'll see his activity range is huge.
He can charge forward, drop deep, drift wide... He does it all and does it well.
Benzema is actually very similar to Suárez. Both have delicate technique, well-rounded skills, and a strong sense of cooperation. If it's purely about physicality, Benzema is even better than Suárez.
But Suárez plays with more cunning than Benzema and is also more selfish.
Selfishness is a scorer's advantage.
Benzema doesn't show that side enough.
Unlike Suárez, who met Gao Shen, Benzema's first Real Madrid coach was Pellegrini.
The young Ligue 1 star suddenly had to compete with Higuaín, who was already established in La Liga and gaining recognition at Real Madrid.
Benzema struggled with efficiency in front of goal, so Higuaín became the starter that season and performed better.
Things shifted again during Mourinho's tenure.
Everyone knows Mourinho favors a defensive counterattacking style. He likes to place a traditional target man up front to hold the line and occupy defenders.
Neither Benzema nor Higuaín suited that.
Between the two, Benzema had more potential because he was more versatile than the pure scorer Higuaín.
But the problem was, Benzema wasn't the type to battle defenders physically. That wasn't his game.
He preferred to move around, play more freely, and rely on his footwork. To Mourinho, that just looked like avoiding defenders.
So Mourinho felt Benzema lacked aggressiveness and called him a cat.
And that's why Mourinho ended up bringing in Adebayor.
At this point, it should be clear.
Benzema's passive personality and all-around style meant he lost to Higuaín from the very beginning—not to mention competing with Ronaldo.
Due to his disadvantages in status, skill set, and style, Benzema was always the second or even third option in Real Madrid's attack.
In some sense, Benzema is indeed underrated. But it's not accurate to say he sacrificed so much for the team, because maybe he never thought of it that way—and he didn't challenge Ronaldo.
It's also possible he knew he couldn't win, so he didn't try.
In the end, it was a mutual achievement.
But in a way, Benzema's prime years left few lasting impressions. Only after Ronaldo left did he start shouldering more responsibility and become Real Madrid's primary striker.
By then, Benzema was past his prime and no longer at his peak.
That's why people feel he sacrificed for the team, even to the point of suppressing his personality and career potential.
But now, Gao Shen is here!
From Real Madrid to Napoli, from Napoli to Manchester City, Gao Shen's tactical evolution shows a clear trend—his reliance on traditional center forwards has steadily declined.
This reflects his development as a tactician.
When he first coached Real Madrid, he favored counterattacks and used players like Negredo to lead the line and improve attacking fluency.
At Napoli, Gao Shen recognized the limitations of the traditional No. 9. So when choosing between Pellè and Cavani, he didn't hesitate—he went with Cavani, who was more mobile and had greater range.
At Manchester City, Gao Shen fully moved on from the classic center forward. Instead, he used Suárez in a hybrid role between center forward and nine-and-a-half, linking the midfield and frontline with no fixed position.
Just look at Spain's strikerless system in this year's European Championship. Isn't it the same idea?
At Real Madrid, Gao Shen still plans to go down this path.
That's why Benzema is especially important.
…
After sending off Xabi Alonso, Gao Shen took a short break before welcoming Benzema.
The French striker was a bit introverted and had come with his agent.
After greeting each other, Benzema just sat there quietly, looking at Gao Shen without saying a word.
Exactly how Gao Shen remembered him.
Players like this have their pros and cons.
The upside is that they'll do whatever you ask. The downside is that you won't get the cunning or unpredictable brilliance of a player like Suárez.
Their conversation began in a Q&A format.
No surprise—Gao Shen asked the questions, and Benzema answered.
The questions were fairly straightforward, covering training, matches, and various aspects of daily life. Benzema answered everything one by one.
His answers were standard, with no surprises.
Halfway through, Gao Shen felt the time was right and brought up a topic.
"I feel that Real Madrid's tactical resource allocation in the attacking third has been unbalanced over the past three seasons. I want a more balanced approach, especially among the front three and between the forwards and the midfield. The connections should be tighter."
Benzema thought for a moment, looked at Gao Shen, and asked, "Like Suárez at Manchester City?"
Clearly, he had done his homework.
"Basically the same. Though there will be differences in detail, given the different player profiles." Gao Shen nodded.
Benzema nodded. "So what do you want me to do?"
That question perfectly reflects Benzema's character.
"What do you want me to do?" Not "Here's what I can do for you."
Gao Shen didn't expect to change a player's personality in one conversation.
"I want you to take on more responsibility. Whether it's helping your teammates score, like before, or scoring yourself, I want you to be more proactive."
"Of course, this will be more demanding. My coaching staff and I have gone over your profile, and we believe you need to lose at least three kilograms and strengthen your core to improve your jumping and heading ability."
Gao Shen looked Benzema in the eyes, his tone firm.
"A 26% header success rate is too low for a striker. Suárez is at 40%."
Cristiano Ronaldo has the highest header success rate at Real Madrid—around 50%. That's a very high number and shows just how incredible his athleticism and leaping ability are.
But previously, all of Real Madrid's aerial balls were aimed at Ronaldo because he was too easy a target.
Gao Shen didn't think that was enough.
For comparison, Higuaín's header stats were slightly better than Benzema's. His aerial duel success rate is in the low 30s. Higuaín also has great dribbling and excellent shooting efficiency. Benzema has impressive shooting accuracy, with 3 out of every 5 shots on target.
And his chance creation ability is superb, even better than Suárez.
Gao Shen and his staff are confident—if Benzema sheds weight, strengthens his core, and improves his jumping and aerial skills, he can reach another level.
Upon hearing Gao Shen's tone, Benzema smiled bitterly. "I'll try my best."
But Gao Shen wasn't having it.
"I don't want you to try your best. I want you to do it. This is non-negotiable. Starting from preseason, lose weight and start core training immediately."
Benzema stared blankly at Gao Shen for a few seconds, lips slightly parted, as if he wanted to say something—but in the end, he said nothing.
Sure enough, Mourinho was right. This kid is a cat.
But that's fine. Even if you're a cat, I'll provoke you until you roar like a dragon.
Gao Shen's teams have always been known for their intensity and aggression. They never lack fire.
And he believes the Benzema who burst onto the scene so confidently years ago won't want to hide forever.
He never had the opportunity before. Now, he does.
…
Gao Shen had placed high demands on Benzema. Very high.
As for execution, Gao Shen wasn't worried. There would be someone keeping a close eye on him.
So when Benzema was about to leave, the expression on his face was so pitiful that Gao Shen almost burst out laughing.
But the kid didn't dare say a word to Gao Shen. He looked completely subdued.
This made Gao Shen reflect for a moment: Was he being too harsh?
But if you don't push hard, how do you unlock that potential and force him to grow?
Just after Gao Shen sent Benzema off, he was still wondering if he should invite a few others to meet.
Like Pepe or Higuaín.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
Caller ID: Casillas.
The Real Madrid captain couldn't hold back any longer. He was making his move!
(To be continued.)