Karim Benzema popped up with two superb headed goals and an easy finish to put Real Madrid in the driving seat of their Champions League tie with Chelsea.
The Blues had, in fact, started brightly before Vinicius Junior hit the post and Los Blancos took the lead.
The first goal came courtesy of a delightful piece of link-up play between the two strikers, Vinicius playing a one-two down the left flank before delivering a cross into Benzema.
It was anything but an easy angle to score from but the Frenchman managed to direct his header past Edouard Mendy at the near-post to open the scoring.
KARIM BENZEMA STOP THAT! 🎯
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 6, 2022
He had no right to score that! Ridiculous header 💥#UCL pic.twitter.com/jWtW2l1kcZ
That goal came on 21 minutes and, only two minutes later, he had another.
This time it was Luka Modric clipping in a sweet cross from the right-hand channel and Benzema opted to go for the far-post on this occasion, heading back across Mendy and into the net.
The ball by Modric 🤤
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 6, 2022
The precision from Benzema 👌
The Frenchman is on fire. Real Madrid are on fire.
They lead 2-0 at Stamford Bridge! 🔥#UCL pic.twitter.com/YJFTQec6qm
Amazingly, he missed the chance for a first-half hat-trick when he poked wide as the ball dropped in the six-yard box moments after Kai Havertz’s goal back.
Benzema could not be denied though as Mendy played a soft backpass into his path some 30 yards out of goal in the first minute of the second-half, allowing him to roll home to seal the 3-1 win.
Hat-trick for Benzema! ✔️
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 6, 2022
The worst possible start to the second half for Chelsea... 😔
A terrible defensive mix up between Édouard Mendy and Antonio Rüdiger allows a tap in for Real Madrid's star man ⚽️#UCL pic.twitter.com/GJDtp3IM6u
The goals continued Benzema’s stunning season, his 35th, 36th and 37th in 36 games to take him to 11 in the Champions League alone, following his hat-trick against Paris Saint-Germain in the last round.
