Benzema hat-trick helps Real defeat Fenerbahce in friendly

French striker Karim Benzema scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid defeated Fenerbahce 5-3 in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday which temporarily lifted the summer gloom which has engulfed the Spanish giants and coach Zinedine Zidane.

However, problems remain for Real as they have now conceded 16 goals in just five friendly matches.

They faced their Turkish opponents having been defeated by Tottenham 1-0 on Tuesday in the first match of a four-team event which also features German champions Bayern Munich.

“We are going to find the solutions, we are going to work.

“I stand by my players and I know that we are going to make progress and that we will have a very good season,” said Zidane whose team had been left bruised by a humiliating 7-3 defeat by city rivals Atletico in a friendly in the United States last week.

“Nobody likes conceding three goals but we have scored five. For us, this is a positive victory.”

Zidane’s preparations for the new season have also been overshadowed by the saga of Gareth Bale’s future at the club.

The Welsh star was left out of the Spanish side’s squad for the two matches in Munich after his planned transfer to Chinese side Jiangsu Suning, who had offered the Welshman a three-year-deal worth £1 million ($1.1 million) a week, broke down.

Benzema said the humilation at the hands of Atletico was a thing of the past and that the crucial date will be the weekend of Aug. 17 when the new La Liga season starts.

“The criticisms after the match against Atletico were normal. It was only a friendly but you cannot concede seven goals,” said the French striker.

“However, it’s no longer on my mind.”

In the final of the tournament, Tottenham claimed the trophy 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out win over Bayern after the game had ended 2-2.

Eric Lamela and Christian Eriksen had put Spurs 2-0 up ahead before 19-year-old Jann-Fiete Arp, signed in the summer from Hamburg, and Alphonso Davis, just 18, pulled the German giants level with second-half strikes.

Elsewhere, Welsh international Harry Wilson gave Jurgen Klopp a reminder of his talents with a spectacular goal as Liverpool defeated Lyon 3-1 in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday.

Wilson, who spent last season out on loan at second-tier Derby, hit a 25-yard screamer in the 53rd minute to add to first-half goals from Brazil star Roberto Firmino and an own-goal by Joachim Andersen.

The game was European champions Liverpool’s last game before they face Manchester City in the season-opening Community Shield at Wembley this weekend.

Liverpool also welcomed back top scorer Mohamed Salah who was playing his first match of the pre-season after a break following the recent Africa Cup of Nations.

Klopp said it was too early to say whether or not Firmino, playing for the first time since the Copa America, or Salah would start against City on Sunday.

“I don’t say 100 per cent not, there’s a chance that they will play, yes. We have to see how they react tomorrow, now training is not the highest intensity anymore, now training is about the detail,” Klopp told liverpoolfc.com.

Chelsea’s Pedro also scored a goal to remember with a back-heeled volley from a Ross Barkley cross as Chelsea downed Salzburg 5-3.

Christian Pulisic scored twice in the Londoners’ rout with Barkley and Michy Batshuayi adding to the total.

Agence France-Presse