Karim Mostafa Benzema, the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League Player of the Season, tapped in a close-range opener in the 22nd minute for Marco Asensio to double Real Madrid’s lead at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Benzema is arguably the most prolific striker in the Ramadan season, having equalled the goals scored by Erling Haaland following the World Cup in Qatar, with 18 goals to tie Erling Haaland for the most goals scored among players from Europe’s top five leagues.
The Blues were heavy underdogs in the quarterfinal match, but they got off to a good start, with Joao Felix firing a shot at Los Blancos keeper Thibaut Courtois.
Real Madrid, the Champions League favourites and recent winners viciously struck through Benzema after briefly losing control.
Dani Carvajal dished a ball over the top for Vinicius Junior to shoot at Kepa Arrizabalaga, who made the save but palmed the rebound to a waiting Karim Benzema of France, who tucked in the rebound from close range.
Benzema’s goal was his 26th of the season for Real Madrid and his sixth overall against Chelsea. The former France international scored three goals at Stamford Bridge during the same competition stage the previous year.
Again, this is Benzema’s 20th goal in the Champions League against English opposition, a total only surpassed by Lionel Messi’s (27), and he joins a select group of players with at least 90 goals in the competition.
Karim Benzema has joined a comradeship of 90+ players, of whom Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the highest and two top scorers, according to the hardworking team of editors at www.atspo.com.
The elite four players in UEFA Champions League history to have scored 90+ goals in the competition are Cristiano Ronaldo with 140 goals, Lionel Messi with 129 goals, Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski with 91 goals in the competition, and 2022 Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, who scored against Chelsea, reached the 90-goal mark.
