Cyrille de la Morinerie, edited by Laura Laplaud 11:17 a.m., April 26, 2022

Two of the best football teams in the world will face each other on Tuesday evening at the Etihad Stadium.

Real Madrid travel to Manchester City for the Champions League semi-final first leg.

In attack of the Madrid formation, a French pride, the essential Karim Benzema.

Kick off at 9 p.m.

A dream match will be played on Tuesday evening in the Champions League.

Manchester City take on Real Madrid in the semi-final first leg.

Two of the best teams in the world will face each other.

The formation of Pep Guardiola, at the head of the English championship still looking for a first coronation in the Champions League and the legendary Real Madrid team, 13 Cups with big ears in his pocket, led by his French striker, the essential Karim Benzema.

39 goals in 40 matches 

The French international is having the season of his life.

It's Mr "1 goal per game".

The former Lyonnais has shaken the net 39 times this season in 40 games.

In Europe, only the Pole from Bayern Munich, Robert Lewandowski, does better.

But above all, in the Champions League, he is simply unstoppable.

The executioner of Paris Saint-Germain, author of a hat-trick against the Parisians, did it again in the quarter-finals against Chelsea, scoring three times.

Since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid three years ago, Karim Benzema has taken on a new dimension.

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A sensational level of play despite the pressure around Real

Scorer, passer and now captain of the biggest club in the world with 318 goals scored since his arrival in the White House, the Frenchman has even surpassed another club legend, Alfredo Di Stéfano.

One of his relatives, former international Bernard Lacombe, who discovered Benzema in Lyon, is very impressed, as he confided to Jacques Vendroux: "What he is doing now is marvellous. don't calculate, the real number 9, in terms of movement, in terms of playing, hitting the ball, these are things that are not too easy and above all, with the pressure you have around this great club", he comments. 

But Karim Benzema is insensitive to any pressure.

At this rate, the 34-year-old Frenchman, who will once again be closely watched on Tuesday evening in England, could win his first Ballon d'Or.

"He deserves it," said his former mentor, Bernard Lacombe.