Karim Benzema has some outstanding business to resolve: score against the top sides in big games. There is no denying that Real Madrid have missed Cristiano Ronaldo's goals with Benzema doing his bit for the cause last season hitting 30 goals in 53 games and the striker starting the current season in a promising goal scoring vein, netting four times in the five contests of the new campaign. However, when it comes to the big stage, statistics suggest the Lyon born striker is goal shy with a discreet performance in front of goal in the Parc des Princes compounding this view.

Despite his goal scoring exploits last season, Benzema only bagged one goal in all games against the top six LaLiga sides (against Valencia in Mestalla in match-day 30). In games against Barcelona, Atlético, Getafe and Sevilla, the French forward failed to hit the target.

Barça and Atleti

A look back over his career in the white shirt at Real Madrid, a trend appears with Benzema bagging 226 goals in 470 games which in itself makes for impressive reading with nearly a goal per two games ratio. Looking closer at the details however, the Frenchman has played 64 games for Madrid against Barcelona and Atlético (32 per team) and has only manged 13 goals in total (roughly a 1 in 5 ratio).

Full screen Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema LUCAS BARIOULET (AFP)

Real Madrid travel to the Sanchez Pizjuan on Sunday to face current league leaders Sevilla, another of the clubs where the French forward struggles to find the net bagging eight goals in 21 games against the side from the Andalusian capital.