At the end of Real Madrid's 2-0 victory against Atletico Madrid last week, Zinedine Zidane was asked to define Karim Benzema in a word. In the end, he needed two ... and then, a few more. "The best," Real Madrid's manager said, pausing to add: "I'd describe him as a complete footballer. People talk about him a nine, a nine and a half, a 10. He's a bit of everything. He's a total football player.
"Anyone who loves football, anyone who likes it, likes Karim."
That could, and maybe even should, have been the final word, the whole point of the whole thing.