Champions League: a Real worn by Benzema knocks out Chelsea
Frenchman Karim Benzema, scorer with Real Madrid against Chelsea, in the quarter-final first leg of the 2021-2022 Champions League.
Action Images via Reuters - PETER CZIBORRA
Text by: David Kalfa Follow
2 mins
Real Madrid won 3-1 at Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on April 6, 2022 in London.
Frenchman Karim Benzema scored another hat-trick, a month after that against Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16 second leg.
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Chelsea, title holder in the Champions League (C1), suffered the law of Real Madrid, the most distinguished club in this competition (13 coronations), this April 6, 2022 in London, in the quarter-final first leg of the C1.
The Londoners drowned in the pouring rain and Karim Benzema's strokes of genius.
The French striker has indeed done it again, a month after having already scored a hat-trick against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the round of 16 return.
Benzema like Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi and Lewandowski
In the 21st minute, on a counter-attack and a one-two with Vinicius, the Brazilian sends a tense cross to Benzema.
This catapults the ball into the skylight with a powerful whim: 0-1.
Three minutes later, on an instant cross from Croatian midfielder Luka Modric, Benzema placed another unstoppable header for Edouard Mendy: 0-2, 24th.
The Senegalese goalkeeper winces in frustration.
But the African champion is not at the end of his troubles.
Shortly after the break, the Chelsea goalkeeper sent a soft pass to German defender Antonio Rüdiger.
Benzema intercepts the ball and slides it into the back of the net: 1-3, 46th.
With this hat-trick, the former Lyonnais becomes the fourth player in the history of the Champions League to exceed the 80-goal mark, after Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski.
Frustrated Chelsea
Chelsea then push to reduce the score and stay in the game ahead of the second leg, scheduled for April 12 in Spain.
German striker Kai Havertz, scorer with a header in the 40th minute (1-2), and his partners got several dangerous chances.
Whether it's a tight strike from Spanish defender Cesar Aziplicueta slammed for a corner by Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (50'), on a cross header from Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku who narrowly misses the opponent's right upright (69') or on a low shot from English defender Reece James (83rd).
The score will not change.
Real is on track to play in the semi-finals of the C1.
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