Real Madrid star Karim Benzema equals Cristiano Ronaldo’s Champions League record
Benzema #Benzema
Karim Benzema has equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for the most knockout goals in a single Champions League campaign – and he will fancy his chances of claiming the record outright when he faces Liverpool in the final.
Real Madrid appeared to be heading out of the competition until the 90th minute of Wednesday’s thrilling semi-final second leg against Manchester City, with Rodrygo netting a dramatic 88-second brace to send the match to extra-time.
Shortly after the restart, Benzema was fouled inside the box and stepped up to dispatch the resulting penalty with aplomb, burying it in the bottom corner to secure a 6-5 aggregate win.
The Frenchman’s strike was his 10th goal of what has been an incredible individual campaign, having also netted twice at the Etihad in the first leg.
Benzema – who is now one goal away from overtaking Raul’s goal tally for Real – also bagged a hat-trick at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea in the quarter-final first leg, as well as the netting the winner in the return fixture at the Bernabeu.
That adds to a truly remarkable 17-minute hat-trick against Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 which sent the otherwise dominate French champions packing.
In total, Benzema now has 15 goals this season in the Champions League – having netted five times in the group stages – while he has also laid on two assists.
The 34-year-old’s remarkable form in front of goal means he has equalled former teammate Ronaldo’s record of 10 knockout goals which the Portuguese superstar set in the 2017-18 season.
That year, Ronaldo netted five goals in a 6-3 aggregate win over Bayern Munich in the quarter-final, three goals at the Bernabeu against Atletico Madrid in the semi-final and a brace in the final against Juventus.
Benzema can break the record in the Champions League final at the Stade de France in Paris later this month and will fancy his chances due to his strong record against Liverpool.
The Frenchman has netted four goals in five previous appearances against the Merseysiders, while his seven goals against English opposition this campaign is the most by a player in a single season in the competition’s history.
Another interesting record Real Madrid can now lay claim to is that they are only the third team after Partizan and Brugge to reach the final of the Champions League or European Cup after losing a leg in the last 16, quarter-final and semi-final.
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