Friday saw this year’s TOTT cards arrive in packs, but not only that, EA blessed us with a TOTT Karim Benzema. Team of the Group Stages cards unsurprisingly represent the players who performed best during the Group Stages of the Champions League and the Europa League, and while some might not agree with all of the selections, the cards look great.
Karim Benzema’s TOTT card can be gained through a very reasonable SBC, estimated to cost only around 80,000 coins, and is available until the end the week.
It requires:
- 1 x 84-rated team
- 1 x 83-rated team, inc. 1 TOTW
Karim Benzema (OVR 89)
Age: 31
Position: ST
Club: Real Madrid
Country: France
Best stats: 92 positioning, 92 ball control, 89 composure
Estimated SBC cost - 80,000 coins
Karim Benzema has been playing some fantastic football this year so far, especially in the Champions League, where he has racked up 4 goals and 2 assists. Not bad for a player approaching the twilight of his career at the age of 31.
Karim joined Real Madrid 10 years ago in the summer of 2009, for a hefty fee at the time, of 35 million Euros plus incentives. Since then he has paid every penny back to the Real Madrid owners playing over 326 games, scoring 159 goals, and lifting an incredible 4 Champions League trophies.
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Benzema’s 89-rated TOTGS card is fantastic, and is a total bargain at the price the SBC currently is. Being French, and being a La Liga player means he is very easy to link in terms of chemistry, and when you consider the stats the card has, he is definitely worth picking up even for use as a super sub.
IMPRESSIVE: Benzema's 89-rated TOTGS in-game stats using a Basic chemistry style.
Pace
Pace is where Benzema’s cards have failed to impress in recent times. His 87-rated gold card has 78 acceleration and 74 sprint speed, and while not the worst, it’s definitely not the best when you consider how important pace is in this year’s FUT.
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This card however has a very acceptable 81 acceleration and 76 sprint speed combination, making him fast enough to be very effective getting in behind opposition defences.
Shooting
Benzema’s shooting is fantastic. His 92 positioning stat means he will always be in a dangerous position to receive the ball and will score a lot of taps in, either from cheeky passes across goal or rebounds. 88 finishing means he won’t miss often, and 86 shot power and 86 volleys means he is lethal from distance too.
Passing
Passing stats aren’t often too important for strikers, but as fans of Benzema will know, he is often considered a centre-forward as much as he is a striker. This makes him a great option in both CAM and CF positions, where he becomes the provider as much as the finisher.
89 vision, 88 short passing and 84 curve means he can pick out passes others literally can’t. A very good option at CAM or CF if you wish to deploy him there.
FOUR TIMES: Benzema has lifted an impressive 4 UCL trophies at Real Madrid.
Dribbling
Dribbling is where Benzema really excels, with an incredible array of stats in this area. 79 agility and 70 balance are by no means the best, but 86 reactions, 92 ball control, 88 dribbling and 89 composure speak for themselves.
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Benzema isn’t the type of card who receives the ball on the wing then works his way into the box past a few defenders. He’s the type of card you give the ball to in a tight space, then turn, dodge and shoot into the bottom corner with. Give him the ball and he will score.
Defending
Defending is mainly redundant for a card like this, however it is worth noting that Benzema has 89 heading accuracy, which is obviously helpful for scoring goals, but equally helpful for defending them at set pieces. In terms of physical stats, Benzema is also very well equipped with 81 stamina and 82 strength, meaning he will hold off players well enough in those tight spaces inside the box.
Verdict
Whether you have multi-million coins squad or you’re running with a budget, untradeable team, this card is definitely worth getting your hands on. Versatile, its a card that can be deployed as a CAM, CF or a ST, and at only 80,000 coins he is not much of a risk. Being French means he’s easy to get into a team, and as a super-sub he will no doubt provide value off the bench with such good attacking stats.
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For best results at ST, we think a Hunter chemistry style works best, boosting Benzema’s pace and shooting to 88 and 92. To use Karim as a CAM or CF we recommend an Engine chemistry card which will increase his pace, passing and dribbling to 83, 89 and 95 respectively.
Well worth it in our opinion.
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However, to succeed in Ultimate Team, it's vital you set up in the right formation, as well as sign the right players.
With so many formations to choose from, setting up your team in FIFA 20 can seem a little overwhelming.
However, there are more than a handful of easy-to-learn tactics that will help you get the most out of your team in EA’s new game.
Follow this link for a run-through of the seven best formations that FIFA 20 has to offer.