Sports
Key Facts, New Records As Karim Benzema Humiliates PSG Out of Champions League
By Eze Dike
Karim Benzema scored a superb second-half hat-trick as Real Madrid progressed to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League at the expense of Paris Saint Germain, PSG after a sensational comeback at the Santiago Bernabeu.
A win was the only option for Los Blancos if they were to continue their quest for a 14th European title. With that in mind, they started on the front foot as Vinicius Junior dazzled through the PSG back line to spark warning signs.
The Parisians did the same with Kylian Mbappe drawing two saves from Thibaut Courtois. The two sides continued the quick tempo as they both came close to scoring deep into the first-half. Kylian Mbappe got the opening goal of the game, being second time lucky after VAR initially ruled out his earlier effort.
His fine strike into the bottom corner flashed through the keeper after he was setup by Neymar Jr. Carlo Ancelotti’s men piled the pressure on at the start of the second-half, forcing the PSG back line to scramble on a few occasions and that ambition paid off when Karim Benzema pounced on a Gianlugi Donnarumma mistake to make it 1-1 on the night.
Karim Benzema followed that up with two goals in next to no time as he completed an astonishing hat-trick in the space of just 17 minutes to seal a memorable comeback for Real Madrid.
Another European collapse surely leaves Mauricio Pochettino with questions to answer over his future in France, after yet failing to claim the trophy they desire the most. As for Real Madrid, ecstasy, euphoria and relief dominated the atmosphere at Santiago Bernabeu as they look to go on and win yet another Champions League trophy.
Here are key facts from the game as Real Madrid beat PSG 3-1 courtesy of the Karim Benzema hat-trick;
• Karim Benzema became the first player in the history of the UEFA Champions League to score in 18 successive calendar years in the competition (2005-2022).
• At 34 years and 80 days, Karim Benzema has become the oldest player to score a UEFA Champions League hat-trick, taking the mantle from Olivier Giroud.
• Neymar and Mbappe have now combined for 12 UEFA Champions League goals since the start of the 2017-18 campaign, at least five more times than any other duo (Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez , and Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino on 7).
• Kylian Mbappe overtook Zlatan Ibrahimovic to become PSG’s second all-time leading goalscorer with 157 goals.
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