BENZEMA WRITES TO REAL

French striker Karim Benzema has written to the Real Madrid squad after being allowed on extended leave following the end of the Euro 2012. The French striker suffered in disappointment in the Euro 2012 in the quarter-final stage after they lost to eventual champions Spain. Despite this, Karim Benzema can from the last season as a very successful one after he lifted the la Liga title with his club team Real Madrid. He will be looking to go one better this time around by winning the Champions League title with his club this season.

Real Madrid manager José Mourinho decided to give Karim Benzema an extended holiday after he was extremely tired following a long and hard season with his club team and the international team. As a result, he was given the permission to not return to training until the 24th of July while his other teammates, who were not involved in international duty, reported on July 16. Almost every player involved in the Euro 2012 have been granted an extended holiday by the Real Madrid manager José Mourinho. He will be hoping that such an important break will play its part in the second half of the campaign when usually tiredness affects the players who took part in the international duty.

Real Madrid will be taking part in the first friendly match of the pre-season when they take on Oviedo on Tuesday. Karim Benzema has also become the surprise transfer target of Premier league club Tottenham. Real Madrid are interested in signing Luka Modric from Tottenham, while the Premier league club are interested in taking the 24-year-old striker to England. After initially struggling to settle with life at the Spanish capital, Karim Benzema has become a major force in recent seasons and it would take a lot of money to prize him away from the Santiago Bernabeu.