Karim Benzema scored three as Real Madrid turned the table around to see Paris St-Germain leave the Uefa Champions League. The French siew traveled to Spain with a one-goal advantage and their number striker Kylian Mbappe put them in front again before the halftime break. The young star who is arguably the biggest talent in world football right now had done it again for Paris St-Germain, scoring against Real Madrid to put the French side 2-0 up on aggregate.
The visitors headed into the halftime break with a two goals aggregate advantage but in the second half But Karim Benzema opened the scoring for Real. The striker stunned the visitors with a 17-minute hat-trick to turn the tie on its head and send Real into the quarter-finals.
It keeps the Champions League’s most successful team on course for a record 14th title and once again underlined Benzema’s status as one of the best but also underrated – strikers in the world. The second and third goals came in the space of just 106 seconds, giving the French side players no time to process how they had gone from a commanding position to once again exiting the Champions League at the knockout stage.
Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand added on BT Sport: “We were all salivating over Kylian Mbappe – the most devastating player at the moment – but in the second half Karim Benzema comes out and says ‘no, no, no I’m not done yet!’ He bangs in a hat-trick.
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said: “Benzema is the most complete number nine for me. He does every part of the game fantastically well.” The French side came with their three best Mbappe, Neymar, and Lionel Messi, but with all the players they could not pull through to the next stage of the competition.
Speaking after the match Benzema said: “Real Madrid is alive and we showed how we can win against anyone.” He also said: “The comeback came due to a matter of mental strength. I’m honored to be part of this legendary club, and now we move forward.”