Karim Benzema Targets 35-Goal Season, Determined to Fill Cristiano Ronaldo Void

Karim Benzema has said he can be the man to replace Cristiano Ronaldo's contribution at Real Madrid and wants to hit 35 goals this season. 

Los Blancos have struggled in the wake of Ronaldo's summer switch to Juventus and recorded the longest goal drought in their history before Julen Lopetegui was fired as manager in October.

Benzema, 30, is Real's top scorer this season with 10 goals in all competitions, and he told Real Madrid TV (h/t Marca's J.L. Calderon):

"When I look back, I look at what I've done at Real Madrid, with a lot of sacrifice, and I'm happy. The important thing is to always be motivated.

"Before we had Cristiano and now we don't not, so it's my turn and I'm ready for that. I'll try to score a lot of goals, as I want to score in every game.

"I'm not going to put a number on my head, but I like to score and give assists. Thirty five goals? I like that number."

The Frenchman scored his 200th goal for Real as part of a brace during the recent 5-0 thrashing of Viktoria Plzen, and Eleven Sports celebrated his exploits since moving to the Santiago Bernabeu in 2009:

Only twice in his career has Benzema managed to break the 30-goal barrier: once with Lyon (31 in 2007-08) and once with Real, when he netted a career-high 32 times in 52 appearances during the 2011-12 season.

The forward hasn't managed to score more than 19 in his two most recent campaigns, although Benzema is already just two goals away from matching last season's total haul in 27 fewer appearances.

Nobody will expect Benzema to replace Ronaldo—no-one at the club could do that. The Portuguese scored 450 times in 438 outings for Real (1.02 goals per game); Benzema has made just eight appearances fewer, but he's only scored 202 times (0.47 goals per game).

Yet the improvement in regards to goal return this term is undeniable, and Real recently celebrated the killer touch he continues to demonstrate in training:

Benzema has another two-and-a-half years remaining on his Real contract and said he's happy at the club:

"I feel very good in this club and in the team. On the pitch I'm always happy, and scoring goals and giving assists make me happy too.

"I feel very well and you can see it on the pitch, as I am strong, motivated and with a lot of ambition.

"It is a very important year for everyone and right now we're fine, we play as a team and we're lucky to be scoring more goals than before."

Goal production has picked up since Santiago Solari was appointed to Real's helm at the end of October, and there appear to be more players getting on their score sheet. Los Blancos have scored 15 goals through 10 different players in their last four games (not including one own goal).

It's understandable others are now expected to supply the finishing touch inside the box, one area in which we can see Benzema is a threat, per Football Radars:

Benzema has long attracted praise for contributing more than just goals at Real, but he's hoping to hit new heights in front of goal without Ronaldo.