after PSG, Karim Benzema once again magnifies the Merengues

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A double in less than three minutes apart and a new goal taking advantage of the error of the opposing goalkeeper to afford a hat-trick: any resemblance to a previous situation is absolutely not coincidental. Almost a month after his demonstration which overthrew Paris Saint-Germain in the knockout stages of the Champions League (3-1), Karim Benzema again led Real Madrid to victory, Wednesday April 6, at Chelsea in quarter-finals first leg of C1 (3-1).

Unlike his performance against PSG, Karim Benzema has not yet officially qualified Real Madrid in the last four of the Champions League. But his performance still opens a royal road to the Merengues that the abolition of the away goal rule makes a little less severe for the Blues.

In three minutes, therefore, the 34-year-old French striker once again demonstrated that he could influence the fate of a party all by himself. Without even having time to savor the moment. On the opener, he was as brilliant at the start as at the conclusion of the action. In a magnificent one-two, he launched his accomplice Vinicius Jr deep with a delicious outside right foot, before taking the Brazilian’s cross in stride. At the entrance to the surface, the header was far from obvious but the ex-Lyonnais placed it with power and precision under the bar of Edouard Mendy (1-0, 21st).

Three minutes later, the situation was not really easier despite Luka Modric’s ideal service. Going backwards, he still managed to land a cross header.”in finesse“in his words on Canal + after the meeting (2-0, 24th).”For precision, it’s like in my game, I’m not a nag, he analyzed in an interview for The TeamTuesday, April 5. So I jump, and then I know whether to sting, whether to put in bell. To make a face is not to close your eyes and put a blow.“Actions as much as words, the strength of Karim Benzema.

Then on returning from the locker room, no quarter or observation round. Like his victorious pressing on Gianluigi Donnarumma against PSG, Karim Benzema was still prowling around after a 50-meter race when Edouard Mendy got his brushes tangled. And it is no coincidence that, through his passion and determination, the Habs pushed the two best goalkeepers in the world to fault in quick succession according to the results of the Lev Yachine Trophy 2021 (Donnarumma awarded ahead of Mendy).

It was therefore by taking advantage of the error of the London goalkeeper that Benzema offered himself a hat-trick (3-1, 46th), the second in a row after that against PSG. “Already a goal is good, if I can score two or three, it’s better, he smiled at the Canal + microphone after the game. Tonight I did. I stayed a bit on the occasion that I miss in the first period, I’m lucky to have a third and this time it comes.“

Only three players had already achieved it before him in the Champions League: Luiz Adriano with Shakhtar Donetsk (five then three goals against BATE Borisov, 2014), Lionel Messi with Barcelona (against Celtic Glasgow and Manchester City, 2016) and Cristiano Ronaldo with Real Madrid (including two overtime goals against Bayern Munich then Atlético de Madrid, 2017).

Since we’re talking numbers, let’s continue: “Benzegoal” has 37 goals in all competitions in 36 games, 13 goals in the last seven games and now eleven goals in eight Champions League games this season. He is quite simply the first Frenchman to exceed ten goals in a C1 edition since… Just Fontaine in 1958/1959 (10 goals). With now 82 goals in C1, the native of Bron (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) is on the heels of Robert Lewandowski (85 goals) on the podium of the top scorers in the history of the competition.

The addition could have been even more salty for the Blues since the tricolor international (36 goals in 94 caps) missed what seemed to be his easiest opportunity. Before the break, a little embarrassed by Jorginho in the six meters, Benzema struck with the left foot next to the post (42nd).

The Madrilenian will have to “settle” for a fourth hat-trick in C1 (against Auxerre in 2010, Malmö in 2015 and PSG in 2022). The next step: a quadruple in the premier competition. Nothing scares him anymore and Chelsea will have to be wary again in the return match at Santiago-Bernabéu, Tuesday, April 12. As of this Wednesday, Karim Benzema has already killed part of the suspense.


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