"I'm not bothered if the club bring in another striker"

"Today if I'm seen as a number 9 because we play in a system in which I am the number 9 and I am close to the goal, I don't need to drop back to touch the ball," he said. "Bringing another striker is the club's decision, I don't mind if there is another striker, I concentrate on the field, in what I can do to help my team," he added.

With 30 goals, just two off his best goalscoring register for Real Madrid, the 32 he scored in the 2011-12 season. Karim did not take much note of the stats and said his teammates' work has helped him improve. 

"Those are records, but whenever I am put on the pitch, it's to help my team to get points and if I can do it with goals and assists, better," he declared. 

"I need my teammates like they need me. It was a difficult season for us because we always want to win titles as we play for Madrid. Sometimes football changes and this year was a difficult season. We have to win the games which remain," he added.

Benzema denied that his compatriot Raphael Varane is thinking of leaving Real Madrid. "Varane isn't saying he wants to leave even though people are saying that. He is very focussed on his play and he wants to continue at Real Madrid."

And he finished praising Zinedine Zidane's return. "Zidane's return means a lot of things, we are all very happy with him, not only me, the team and fans also. He is a great coach for us."