Karim Benzema has been wearing a bandage covering his right wrist and hand during games for more than three years, due to a finger injury he sustained in a challenge with Real Betis' Marc Bartra.

It all started on January 13, 2019, when Real Madrid beat Betis 2-1 in LaLiga. Benzema fractured his right hand's little finger while attempting to break his fall after colliding with Bartra. The Frenchman had to be substituted at halftime due to apparent pain, and he missed Real Madrid's next game, a Copa del Rey last-16 tie against Leganés.

But Benzema was able to face Sevilla at home in the next league match, and he wore his bandage for the first time that day. He scored six goals in the four games that followed, against Girona, Espanyol, Girona once more, and Alavés.

To avoid missing the final months of the 2018/19 season, Benzema decided not to have surgery right away after the injury. Despite his presence, Los Blancos finished without a trophy after a season in which they had three full-time head coaches (Julen Lopetegui, Santiago Solari and Zinedine Zidane).

Until recently, it was unclear whether Benzema had undergone plastic surgery. The 34-year-old had not responded publicly to this question, and rumors circulated that he was now wearing his bandage out of superstition.

However, ahead of Madrid's Champions League group-stage match against Inter Milan in October 2021, he revealed that he still wears the bandage because he needs it.

"I had surgery, but you have to be out for two months after surgery," Benzema explained. "I have injured it again, but I do not have time to stop and have another operation, so I play with the bandage."