While Karim Benzema on the verge of surpassing Real Madrid legend with an iconic milestone
Real Madrid take on Valencia on Thursday evening with the pressure on them, knowing that anything but a win would leave them more than two wins back from Barcelona at the halfway point in the season. However it could also be a night of celebration at the Santiago Bernabeu, with various milestones ready to be set down.
The most likely is that Vinicius Junior makes his 200th appearance for Real Madrid in total, provided he sets foot on the park.
Meanwhile Karim Benzema has two sight records. The Frenchman is level on goals with the legendary Raul Gonzalez in La Liga, on 228. Should he score against Los Che, he would become Real Madrid's second-top goalscorer in La Liga history, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo.
It would also take him past Raul on the all-time scoring list in the competition. That would place him fifth outright, ahead of Raul, but also take him within five goals of Hugo Sanchez (234) in fourth-place. The top three consist of Telmo Zarra (251), Ronaldo (311) and Lionel Messi (474).
Benzema did not enjoy a reputation as a clinical finisher for the first half of his Real Madrid career, but has only gotten better with age. Now at 35, his longevity stands out in his career, playing almost exclusively at the top level.
There are more ways to watch LaLiga this season, with unrivaled access through ViaPlay, ITV, LaLigaTV and LaLigaSportsTV. This week sees two further fixtures on free-to-air ITV, with a double header live on ITV4.
Real Madrid vs Valencia CF: Thursday, Feb 2, 8PM (UK time) FC Barcelona vs Sevilla FC: Sunday, Feb 5, 8PM (UK time)
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