Thomas Tuchel has heaped praise on Karim Benzema ahead of Chelsea's clash against Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. The French forward has enjoyed an outstanding season, recording 34 goals in 35 appearances for the Spanish side.
Benzema led his side into the final eight of the competition with a second-half hat-trick after Real Madrid had fallen to a 2-0 deficit against PSG.
Tuchel believes the 34-year-old deserves the plaudits he has earned after being underrated earlier in his career with Los Blancos. The German coach was quick to note, emphasising the importance of Benzema remains on other talents at home in Spain's capital.
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Tuchel said: "I give all the praise to Karim Benzema, which I said two years ago was one of the most underrated players in world football. Maybe not anymore, which he absolutely deserves after how many years as a number nine for Real Madrid and how he overcame the last stage and how he carried responsibility and what a key part he plays for them as a captain now. It's very impressive, and you can see what can happen to the team in his absence.
"For sure, he is a standout player and personality. But at this moment, it's very unfair to Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Casemiro, all the players who've carried the team so successfully over almost a decade now. They are huge personalities who I am genuinely a fan of but for sure not today and not tomorrow."
The Chelsea boss further spoke of the quality Carlo Ancelotti's side have had at their disposal in recent seasons, having accrued a daunting Champions League record with four wins in five years. He believes that the experience allows for special performances even with that cycle breaking.
The 48-year-old is looking forward to testing his side once again, however.
Tuchel added: "It's hard to keep their record. They won it three times [in a row], and it's an incredibly hard tournament. They trusted the same squad for a long period of time but it's normal that cycles like this change at some point. In terms of a winning streak, reaching the final, maybe this is what happened. But we should be very aware that teams with this kind of quality, flair and experience can produce a special occasion. For us, it's also a special occasion, and it's why we feel pretty excited. We want to prove a point to ourselves tomorrow. The occasion is special, and the opponent is special. That is why we are excited."
