“Benzema keeps the whites alive”
Spain’s largest daily newspaper “El País”
★★★
Real Madrid lost a completely crazy semi-final first leg in the Champions League at Man City 3: 4, but thanks to Karim Benzema’s brace (34) they still have every chance of the final in Paris.
The French made it 1:2 (33rd) and scored shortly before the end to make it 3:4 (82nd). And how!
Although Benzema had just scored two penalties in one game in the league, he steps up – and lobs the ball ultra-cheeky and ice-cold into the middle!
Benzema is in the form of his life. He has scored 41 goals in 41 competitive games for Real. More than ever in 17 years as a professional! And that at the age of 34!
Teammate David Alaba (29): “It’s unbelievable what he’s playing this season.”
Ex-player Mesut Özil (33) calls on Twitter: “Give him the Ballon d’Or!”
Is he better than Robert Lewandowski (33)?
Sky expert Dietmar Hamann (48) to BILD: “This season you have to say: yes! It’s hard to argue with the way he’s nailing things these days.”
The fact is: If Benzema wins the Champions League with Real, it would be his fifth title after 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018. He would draw level with record holder Cristiano Ronaldo (37).
Hamann: “He shot his team into the semi-finals practically single-handedly and kept it alive. But basically: If I had the choice, I would prefer a Lewandowski to a Benzema. He’s the more complete striker.”
Benzema and Lewandowski in figures
BENZEMA
★ League: 29 games, 25 goals, one goal every 96 minutes
★ Champions League: 10 games, 14 goals, one goal every 65 minutes
★ Overall Champions League: 140 games, 85 goals, one goal every 120 minutes
LEWANDOWSKI
★ League: 33 games, 31 goals, one goal every 81 minutes
★ Champions League: 10 games, 13 goals, one goal every 67 minutes
★ Champions League total: 106 games, 86 goals, one goal every 105 minutes
Last year he was only fourth in the world footballer election behind Lewandowski, Messi and Salah, and in 2022 he is the top favorite for the Fifa title.
Because: While Lewandowski is already a champion with Bayern, the Pole is out of the DFB Cup and the Champions League.
And Benzema does the important things! All three goals in the Round of 16 win over PSG, four of Madrid’s five goals in the quarter-finals against Chelsea and now the brace in Manchester.