Football

FOOTBALL - It's done. After Jérémy Toulalan, Karim Benzema this week extended his contract with Olympique Lyonnais. Although it is still very theoretical (the players often leave before the end so that the clubs monnayent remainder of their contract), the attacker is enrolled at OL until June 2013. With an option for a further year. The amount remains carefully guarded, but at age 20, the striker has signed its second extension in seven months, and its president confides that he became one of the best paid players in their workforce. So one of the best paid in France. And this, only a few months after becoming owner in his club ... Unheard of, but the evolution of the salary curve irrational wife of the explosion of talent and the reputation of Benzema. A year ago, the player was a great hope for his club, but a replacement anyway. A year later, he released a double confrontation against Manchester United, was one of the few to rise to the level (read). The specialists would dry up more praise, the big club is the uprooting. The English press is even tonnes (read). And Michel Platini, UEFA President, "is the best player in Lyon." The former brain of the French team, who spoke Thursday on the sidelines of a seminar breeders for Euro-2008, estimated that more "Benzema plays with his intellect as with physical qualities. He has more talent than qualities. The talent is intelligence, qualities it is the speed, for example. " The former leader of the Blue loves it. Because it resembles the player he was? Platoche emerges to another reference, lyonnaise it. "People compare it to Ronaldo, I would say that it is a centre-forward to the old, it is a Bernard Lacombe, faster, bigger, more technical, but with the same sense of purpose. This is not a player who will be a speed defense as Cissé. "Cruel after missed opportunities by the Marseillais, not measure up Wednesday night in Russia. In the game in Lyon, Karim Benzema went quickly through its essential goals (17 in 28 league matches this season 1), but also by its involvement in Thursday It stalled, temporise when it is necessary, directs the play at times, is often the decisive passes (7 times this season). His versatility allows him to play left, which is irritating. But it could turn into an asset coming of age. When the speed will miss his technical knowledge combined with a surprising speed of analysis on the ground would make him a big number 10. But the goal scorers are so rare that the big clubs, for the moment, have their eye especially his talents in front of the goal. With the numerous requests, how long Benzema will remain in Lyon? If he wanted (and also OL), it could play as soon as next season in one of the best clubs English, Spanish or Italian. "I can not say how many years I will stay," he says. Maybe even two or three years. We will decide together with the president. (...) In my mind, I wanted to continue my classes at OL where everyone has confidence in me to continue my progression and not m'exiler abroad. There are still many things to do here, win titles including the French Cup double-championship this season. " The Lyonnais keep on anyway at least next year, and Jean-Michel Aulas has made a major financial boost because it would push the partnership until the 2010 World Cup. That would allow it to inaugurate its future Grand stage around his (now) expensive pearl.