Benzema is back to his brilliant best following Ronaldo exit

The French striker has often had to fight for recognition at Real Madrid, but he is back in the spotlight following a summer of change at the Bernabeu

Real Madrid would be a better team if Cristiano Ronaldo was still on their books. There is not an argument to be had there.

There is no way that any side becomes more complete after parting with a five-time Ballon d’Or winner with over 600 career goals to his name.

It is, however, possible to argue that individuals within the Santiago Bernabeu stand to benefit from the absence of a modern day icon.

Ronaldo, throughout his nine years in Madrid, was a larger-than-life presence who was the producer, director and star of his own sporting soap opera.

Others would get air time, but they were little more than extras in the grand scheme of things.

That situation has changed.

A leading man has been written out of the script, allowing a supporting cast to step into the spotlight and take the storyline in a different direction.

Change, in this instance, can be considered a positive.

Real are not better for having lost a manager in Zinedine Zidane who guided them to three Champions League crowns, or their all-time leading goalscorer, they are just different – and that is no bad thing.

There are, after all, still plenty of familiar faces around who boast superstar pedigree in their own right .

Benzema has always been a top striker, one of the best No. 9s on the planet, but he is now a more mature performer and is threatening to take his game to even greater heights as he approaches his 31st birthday.

It is still early days in the current campaign, but personal bests are being set across the board.

Shot conversion (80%), big chance conversion (100%), passing accuracy (88.03%) and duel success (68.75%) have never been as high for Benzema, while he is finding the back of the net once every 67.5 minutes.

He is playing more passes per game than he has done previously, while seeing more touches than he has done for a number of years – a clear indication that he is getting more involved with no Ronaldo around to dominate proceedings.

Lopetegui has moved him more centrally, withBenzema no longer required to be a link manforced out to the flanks in an effort to create space for others and pull opposition defenders out of position.

Real are favouring a more possession-based game than they did under Zidane, with a high press allowing their forwards to lead from the front and set the tempo – an approach intended to deliver rich rewards for those operating in the final third.

That is not to say that Benzema has become anything less of a team player, with his selfless qualities having been talked up throughout his time in Madrid.

Zidane told UEFA recently of his fellow countryman : “Karim was important for the balance of the side in terms of how I wanted the team to attack. He helped to implement our possession game by playing his team-mates in. He makes himself available and is a real team player.”

The same could not be said of Ronaldo, but then Benzema is not in the CR7 mould and has never pretended to be .

He is different, Real are different, but the Blancos will be hoping that the end result remains the same when major silverware is handed out at the end of the season.