Benzema Opens Door To Lyon Return
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema says he is open to returning to play for Lyon before his career is over
Karim Benzema has hinted that he is considering drawing the curtain on his professional career where it all began, back at Lyon.
The former France international was born in Lyon and began training with the club at the age of 10.
He went on to make almost 150 appearances for l'OL, helping them to four consecutive Ligue 1 titles between 2004 and 2008.
Real Madrid came calling the following year and Benzema immediately struck up a lethal partnership first with Cristiano Ronaldo and later Gareth Bale, with the trio taking four Champions Leagues and two LaLiga titles prior to Ronaldo's exit to Juventus in 2018.
Now 32, Benzema admits that Lyon remain close to his heart, although he warned that fans should not expect him back immediately.
"Coming back to Lyon? It is often said to me. People know how attached I am to Lyon," he told the French side's official TV channel.
"Coming back to Lyon immediately is not possible because I am in the best club in the world and I have a lot of things to do. But [I could] come back to Lyon and retire, why not?
"Anyway, I will come back to Lyon, whether as a footballer or not".
At Lyon, Madrid and with France, Benzema has played alongside a host of great footballers - which means picking out the best few is no easy task.
"The best three I've played with? It's hard. There have been so many," he added.
"In France, I enjoyed playing with Juninho [Pernambucano] and Sylvain Wiltord. But in Madrid, there were a lot of good players. Cristiano Ronaldo, [Sergio] Ramos ...It's hard to choose. But I had the chance to play with very great players."
"I am a Lyon lad, of course, and my brothers follow Ligue 1 closely. I like how Lyon approach big games, you know they have what it takes to beat anybody, but then sometime they come up against a weak team and lose. That annoys me more!"
Benzema also said he wasn't surprised Lyon defeated Juventus 1-0 in the first leg of the Champions League last 16, with the second leg not yet played after the competition was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"The Juve win? I wasn't surprised, really. It is very difficult to beat Lyon in the Champions League. Even more so in their own backyard."
