Chelsea FC also failed to stop Karim Benzema. In the quarter-final first leg at Stamford Bridge, the Frenchman shone once again and confirmed the Blancos’ basic defensive attitude.
34 games in La Liga and Champions League, 35 goals – Karim Benzema is unstoppable. His current form allowed him and Vinicius Junior to be the only two nominal attacking players on the pitch from the start against Chelsea FC – and Real were ultimately successful. Fede Valverde, as a withdrawn right-winger, took on all the defensive duties for the two free spirits in attack, although Benzema often made sure Vinicius Junior himself got anywhere near the Blues’ penalty area.
After the Brazilian’s first big chance for the Blancos, initiated by Benzema and Valverde, only hit the bar, it was the Frenchman who silenced Stamford Bridge for the first time on an assist from Vinicius Junior. Benzema sent Vinicius Junior into the penalty area on the left, moved into the sixteen himself at top speed and then completed his congenial attacking partner’s pinpoint cross with a powerful header under the crossbar.
“I was still thinking about the missed chance “
“We had good build-up play and dangerous counter-attacks. We found the spaces in between and then were dangerous going forward with Benzema and Vinicius,” Carlo Ancelotti reflected his defensive match plan on the microphone of “BT Sport”. After the opening goal, it took only three more minutes before Benzema proved his incredible form once again. Modric crossed butterily between the five-yard box and the penalty spot, Benzema eluded Thiago Silva and Christensen and, running back, headed pinpoint into the right-hand corner against the direction of Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy.
Before the break, however, the 34-year-old showed some humanity, free in front of Mendy, Benzema shot just wide on the left. It pained him. “I’m glad I scored the third goal because I was still thinking about the missed chance,” Benzema told Movistar Plus. That third goal only confirmed that Benzema is simply on a roll. He took advantage of a sloppy pass from Mendy to Antonio Rüdiger, reacted quickly and then just had to slot the ball into the empty net.
Courtois takes the fans to task
His second successive treble in the Champions League, his hat-trick in the last 16 second leg against Paris St Germain ensured Real are now through to the quarter-finals – and with a leg already in the semi-finals. “These are magical nights, like the last one at the Bernabeu against Paris. We have come to win and show that we are Real Madrid,” reported Benzema, who is now the second most dangerous attacker in the top flight after Robert Lewandowski with 11 goals.
Real will now take their two-goal advantage into the second leg on Tuesday. Thibaut Courtois warns against getting too confident already. “We mustn’t think it’s already done. An early goal and everything is open again. We need our fans like we did against Paris and we have to play as if it’s a draw.”
