Karim Benzema has not just stepped out of Cristiano Ronaldo’s shadow at Real Madrid but grabbed the spotlight and focused it squarely on himself.
The striker may be 34 but he is only getting better as he gets older and on Wednesday night he singlehandedly put Chelsea, the Champions League holders, on the brink of a quarter-final exit.
Benzema scored a hat-trick, his second in as many games in Europe, as Real Madrid won 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in the first-leg encounter.
The France international’s excellent form this season comes against the backdrop of a conviction for blackmail, which he is appealing against.
His latest goals took him to 11 in the Champions League this season – only Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski has scored more with 12.
“This is the business end and he is still scoring goals,” former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand said on BT Sport. “He has shot his team to the top of the league. They are flying and he is the talisman.
“When Cristiano Ronaldo was there Benzema had the humility to sit in the background because he knew what it meant to the team but now he has come out of the shadows.”
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
