Benzema's roller coaster

The whistling in Karim Benzema's direction has returned to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

As if it were Groundhog Day, a large sector of Real Madrid supporters have the French striker in their sights again.

When the team doesn't win, when the goals don't arrive... Benzema gets it in the neck.

After a good start to the season, he has stagnated in the scoring aspect, going five straight games (and counting) without finding the net.

The Bernabeu reminded him when Julen Lopetegui decided to replace him three minutes from the end.

With Benzema, the murmur began midway through the second half.

After not scoring against Athletic Club, Roma, Espanyol and Sevilla, the knives were already out.

He needed a goal against Atletico but it wasn't to be.

Five meetings in a row that have slowed his spectacular start and in which Lopetegui has slowly but surely started taken minutes away from him.

Benzema has started every match, but has now been substituted in the last four.

Lopetegui said afterwards that the goals will come but that he needs the Frenchman's 'killer' version to return soon.

Without Cristiano Ronaldo in the squad and with Bale injured, the pressure will now be on Benzema more than ever.

During the last nine years, all the goalscoring responsibility fell on Ronaldo.

Benzema left the stadium disappointed by the result, but calm regarding the reaction of the Bernabeu.

He has assumed that this is his life at Real Madrid; like a roller coaster.

Of course, he travels on a train where he occupies the seventh car with a load of 197 goals...