No words seem strong enough to describe the season that the Frenchman knows in C1 and the importance he has in the European adventure of the Merengues.

His decisive pass on the goal of Rodrygo's hope (1-1, 90th) and his decisive penalty obtained and converted at the very start of the first period of extra time (3-1, 95th) send Real to challenge Liverpool, the May 28 at the Stade de France, looking for a 14th C1.

As if they had planned everything, the Real supporters had deployed before the match a "tifo" in his likeness, with the caption "Another magical night for the Kings of Europe", showing how much they put in him all their hopes.

If anyone was going to rescue them from City's clutches, it was him.

Public enemy number 1

As he had done with his hat-trick against Paris SG in the round of 16 second leg, then with a new hat-trick in the first leg against Chelsea, without forgetting the decisive goal in the return, despite the 3-2 defeat at the Bernabeu.

Karim Benzema exults after Real's victory against Manchester City in the Champions League semi-final second leg, May 4, 2022 in Madrid PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU AFP

In the first leg too, against City, it was he who had kept the flame going.

He only needed half a chance to score the 1-1 goal and he displayed his insolent confidence and total control of his football with a Panenka from the 4-3 penalty.

The return match will however have long been as tense and suffocating as the first leg had been open and hair-raising.

The unusual caution displayed by City was perhaps the finest tribute to the danger posed by 'KB9', public enemy number 1.

An unmistakable sign, Pep Guardiola had even launched his grumbler Kyle Walker on the right flank, barely back from injury.

For more than an hour, Walker did an admirable job of countering Vinicius Junior (37th, 39th), Benzema's official caviar supplier, which partly explains why the French striker may have seemed less prominent than at the habit.

Opportunities – or at least what he is able to be satisfied with to create them – he nevertheless had some, like this recovery too removed on a center supported by Federico Valverde (12th).

Always at the service of the team

In the 31st, Ruben Dias had been well inspired to get ahead of him on a service this time from Luka Modric.

He also sometimes displayed unusual clumsiness.

Shortly before the break, he had found himself face-to-face in front of Ederson and everyone in the stadium expected to see the nets shake when he opened his foot.

But the ball fled the frame, before a flag rose to signal that it was offside (43rd).

Manchester City, which had traded for one evening its shimmering sky blue outfit for a midnight blue with the air of blue work, however ended up cracking.

Always serving the team, he first turned into a decisive passer by straightening an opening from Eduardo Camavinga at the far post to allow Rodrygo to get ahead of Ederson (1-1, 90th), before the young Brazilian headed overtime (2-1, 90th + 1), 90 seconds later.

But the thrust returned, as of right, to Benzema, who got the better of Dias to get a penalty and score his 43rd goal of the season for 43 games played.

Spanish champion since last Saturday, Benzema will aim for the title of European champion in 24 days, almost "at home", in a match which could well definitively consolidate his claims to the Ballon d'Or.

© 2022 AFP