Champions League: Benzema shines in Real’s defeat to City

It was a crazy encounter that made Benzema even more crazy, setting the pace for Madrid, to the point of settling at the top of the Champions League scoring charts, with 14 goals, and establishing the himself among the most serious opponents of the Ballon d’Or.

I think mainly about winning La Liga and winning the Champions League. What comes next we’ll see, I’m really focused on collective trophiess, immediately avoided Benzema into the microphone of the French channel Canal+knowing that his presentations speak for him.

For his 600th game in a Real Madrid uniform, the French international revived his club, drifting in the first half, by redirecting with the left foot into the center of Ferland Mendy in the 33rd minute. , to cut the gap in half (2-1). ).

Completely absent in the first 20 minutes, Real found themselves left with two goals left after 12 minutes of play, unheard of in their long Champions League history.

From the 2nd minute, Riyad Mahrez moved on his right wing to move in the middle without attacking and deposited the ball on Kevin de Bruyne’s diving head which was punctured by the ball, despite the presence of Carvajal’s foot a few millimeters from his hope (1-0).

Less than ten minutes later, on a cross from the same de Bruyne, David Alaba missed his intervention and Gabriel Jesus just had to open his leg to double the lead (2-0, 11th).

In the 48th minute, Mahrez voluntarily came back against Thibaut Courtois to see his left inside pushed away by the post to Phil Foden, whose immediate recovery was saved by Carvajal on the line.

It was just a postponement, because 5 minutes later, Foden, six meters away, didn’t miss Fernandinho’s offer (3-1, 53rd), who replaced John Stones in the 36th minute at the right-back post if where Joao Cancelo, suspended, and the injured Kyle Walker are missing.

And what about Bernardo Silva’s superb strike in the top corner that Courtois recorded (4-2, 74th).

Benzema’s fur

However, the Sky Blues will only go to the smallest advantage over Madrid because of Benzema’s intelligence.

In a breathtaking end to the match, the Frenchman allowed himself to gently hit the middle of the net with a penalty shot (4-3), which he himself contributed to the capture by forcing Aymeric Laporte to hit. the arm ball.

We need to be brave, especially KB9 has missed his last two penalty shots in the Spanish league. This time, the former Lyonnais didn’t budge, scoring his 85th Champions League goal at the end of the game, placing him 3rd in history occupied by Pole Robert Lewandowski (86) .

It’s mental toughness, composure. Goalkeepers watch me, watch how I take penalties. There are times when you need to change Benzema’s modest comment.

With his double at the end of the game, Benzema put the counter to 41 goals in 41 games, the results of a dream season.

In addition to his goals scored, the Frenchman was the author of several strokes of genius: the constant pressure on Ruben Dias almost led to an own goal from the Portuguese, who were both saved by his post and a situation outside. -game (26th). Or his perfect center on David Alaba’s head, who just missed the right side (30th).

Admittedly, Real suffered hard, to the point that they found themselves on the ropes in the second half, left at 4-2 and about to give up the fifth goal.

But Benzema continued to block his men, he continued to demand the ball and dare class actions.

The appointment has been given for the rematch against Manchester City, in a week, at the Santiago-Bernabeu stadium, its garden, where Real Madrid, with its 13 trophies in the Champions League, can dream of a new final.