Benzema's backheel assist even better than Guti: Zidane

MADRID - Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has hailed Karim Benzema's creative backheel pass, which set up the winning goal against Espanyol on Sunday, as even better than former Real midfielder Guti's trademark ones.

After receiving Sergio Ramos's flick-on from Marcelo's long pass, the French striker shielded the ball and dribbled to the touchline, before an imaginative backheel to assist Casemiro through the legs of the opposite defender, which proved to be the key moment of the match to help the visitors take three points and surpass Barcelona in the league table.

When asked to compare Benzema's layoff with Guti's other two famous backheeled assists - one for Benzema to drive easily into an open net in the game against Deportivo La Coruna in 2010, the other for Zidane to score against Sevilla in 2006 - Zidane called Benzema's effort superior as it was more of a team goal.

"I think this one [is the best], Karim's," Zidane said. "It's the most recent one. The good thing is it's a team move; Sergio with his head, Karim's control and backheel, and then Casemiro knows that Karim can invent something. It's a beautiful team goal."

"We know Karim is an impressive player and he shows it in every game. A player improves all the time and that's what's happening with Karim. He's at a good age, at around 32 or 33 if you look after yourself as he does, they're your best years of football."

Casemiro also praised the assist as "incredible."

"It would be a bit unfair to talk about my goal after what Karim did. We have to congratulate him, it's a top-class backheel," the Brazilian international said. "Knowing Karim, it's normal. He has the quality of a No. 10, not a No. 9. It's an incredible backheel. It's Karim's goal."