How Karim Benzema Became English Clubs’ Nightmare in the Champions League

For the third time in three years, Real and Liverpool meet in a Champions League knockout game. A new chance for the Balan d’Or to shine against England. KB9’s exploits against Premier League teams in C1.

2014-2015 Group Stage (Real Madrid 1-0 / Liverpool 3-0): 3 goals hurt the Reds

In 2014-2015, defending champions Real Madrid fell into a pool of rebuilding Liverpool after five years without the Champions League. Authors of an excellent start with a CR7 in the form of his life of the season, the Madrid men approach their double clash against the Reds in the favorite boots, while Liverpool seem still to have digested their worst defeat. The competition for the Premier League title a few months ago.

Contrary to expectations, the man of these two encounters was ultimately not the Portuguese number 7, who scored the only goal in both encounters, but Karim Benzema, who single-handedly extinguished the Reds’ passion with three goals in total. Two in the Reds’ cauldron, Anfield.

Final 2017-2018 (Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool): KB9 blocks the situation

After years of recovery, Liverpool returned to the arena in 2017-2018 and managed to reach the Champions League final to face double title holders Real Madrid. Karim Benzema is in turmoil after a more than mediocre season (just 5 goals in La Liga) while Cristiano Ronaldo is still the author of a stratospheric C1 campaign with 15 goals in 12 games. But Benzema points to the tip of his nose. In a very undecided final, he staved off the situation by opening the scoring on 51.^Th Minute of a point-blank assist from the unfortunate Loris Karius Reds goalkeeper. Despite an equalizer from Jurgen Klopp’s men, a Bale brace would eventually send Real to a historic European treble.

Quarter-finals 2021-2022 (Real Madrid 3-1 / 2-3 Chelsea): Hero crushes Blues

After a stunning hat-trick to rescue his team from a poor situation against PSG in the previous round, Benzema will once again carry Real Madrid at arm’s length against Chelsea in the quarter-finals of this 2021-2022 edition. Since CR7 left four years ago, he is now the boss of the Madrid attack. So, against Paris, he plays his part fully by scoring a stunning hat-trick in the first leg, in front of Stanford Bridge, stunned by his team’s defeat, thrashed 1-3 at home. Benzema single-handedly crushed Chelsea, but the Blues arrived at the Bernabeu completely refreshed and held a 3-0 lead over Real until the 80th.^Th min. The moment Rodrigo chose to send both teams into extra time with a stunning volley, following a joy from Luka Modric out wide. Then it is in 96^Th That was the moment KB9, quiet until then, decided to put on his superhero cape once again in this quarter-final match to head home a cross from Vinicius to send the Merengues into the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Semi-Final 2021-2022 (Real Madrid 3-4 / 3-1 Manchester City): Penalty Kill

In the next round, the march is even higher for a Real team in this Champions League 2021-2022 as it stands in front of Benzema & Cee Manchester City, which is definitely the best team in the continent. In one of the most important double-headers in the tournament’s history, the French centre-forward proved once again decisive in sending his team to the final. In the first leg, Madrid lost 3 to 4 goals in a rare intense encounter. On a thread throughout the match, the Merengue managed to avoid defeat and move just a goal behind Manchester thanks to a double century from their French saviour. So everything is still possible, but Real agreed on a starter at the Bernabeu in 73^Th Min, on a goal by Mahrez. In an absolutely surreal ending to the match, Rodrigo scored an incredible double in extra time to steal extra time. And against Paris, against Chelsea, Benzema will deliver the coup. With a cold-blooded penalty, he scored his team’s third goal and ended Guardiola’s team’s dreams. On May 28, he would finally win his fifth Champions League with Real against Liverpool. Let’s meet once again.