Can he catch Ronaldo?
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema took his remarkable return in the Champions League this season to no less than 14 goals in just 10 games on Tuesday night, with two goals in the first leg of their semi-final clash with Manchester City.
Although Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions won the match 4-3, it was a first half goal and then a delightful panenka penalty in the second period from Benzema which ultimately cut short Man City’s hopes of coasting to the final of the European competition.
And in typical fashion, the senior striker suggested after the game that the key to his success was simply down to keeping a cool head.
“I always have it in my head that if you don’t take a penalty, you will never miss a penalty,” said the striker in a post-match interview.
“That’s mental confidence and that’s all. I have a lot of confidence in myself, so I do it and it turns out well.”
Benzema is averaging TWICE as many goals per 90 minutes in the Champions League than he did for Real Madrid last season pic.twitter.com/Y7HuU3QqNJ
— Transfermarkt.co.uk (@TMuk_news) April 27, 2022
Benzema is only getting better with age
Madrid fans will not only be purring with affection after yet another remarkable performance from Benzema this season but also due to the fact that the 34-year-old striker is seemingly getting better with age.
Indeed, not only is Benzema’s 14 goals in the European competition a career high for the striker but it’s also his best return in terms of efficiency in front of goal in over 10 years for Los Blancos.
So far this season Benzema is averaging an incredible 1.38 goals per 90 minutes, which is not only well and beyond anything he’s achieved in recent seasons but it’s actually twice his average from last season (0.64) and not far off doubling his return in 2019/20 of 0.70 goals per 90.
Benzema climbs into the top five
As such, Benzema’s remarkable return in this season’s competition has seen the Madrid star enter an exclusive club of goal scorers from Champions League history.
In his 600th game for the club, Benzema made it nine goals in the knockout rounds of the Champions League and 14 in the competition as a whole.
Benzema climbs to fifth place: Most goals in a Champions League season
To no great surprise, very few players have managed as many goals in just one campaign, with only Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski netting more than Benzema’s current tally of 14 in a single season.
Indeed, the Bayern Munich striker bagged 15 in the 2019/20 season, while Benzema’s old team mate Ronaldo also managed 15 goals in the 2017/18 season, 16 goals in the 2016/16 season and a record 17 goals in the 2013/14 season. However, with a potential two more games to play this season, there’s every chance that the French striker could end up surpassing both players if Madrid go on to win the competition.
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