Kathmandu: Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema’s “fantastic” hat-trick helped Real Madrid beat Chelsea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.
Benzema scored twice in the first half with two perfectly-timed headers. Kai Havertz cut Chelsea’s lead in half before the break, but Benzema took advantage of a terrible mistake by Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in the second half to make it three.
The result put the European champions on the brink of being knocked out. Benzema’s second Champions League hat-trick in a row after he led them to an incredible comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their last 16 matches.
After losing to Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Champions League last season, Real Madrid will have the chance to avenge that loss at the Bernabeu.
Carlo Ancelotti said that Benzema did an excellent job up front for us. “He’s getting better and better every day, just like wine. Played very well. The night was good.”
“Our team is better, but we have a lot of respect for this team because they won the Champions League last year.”
Real Madrid won the last of their 13 Champions League titles in 2018. Even though they may not be the favorite for this year’s tournament, their ruthless victory in west London was a big show of strength from the La Liga leaders.
With 11 goals this season, Benzema has scored more goals in a single European Cup campaign than any other Frenchman. This puts him ahead of Just Fontaine, who scored 10 goals in 1958 and 1959.
“You should go out on these nights. This was a big day for us. We came out to show that we’re Real Madrid, “He said that.
“All through the game, we did well. They’re crucial things to do.”
Chelsea looked nothing like the team that won the Champions League last year and won six games in a row before the international break. They were not as well-organized as they used to be.
On Saturday, in the Premier League, Chelsea lost 4-1 at home to Brentford. Blues manager Thomas Tuchel said that was not a big deal.
Even though Chelsea’s surprise defeat had exposed some significant flaws in their defense that Real Madrid took advantage of with great pleasure.
“The first half was the same as the second half against Brentford, but it didn’t go well. Everyone in our group was below our level in every way this game asked for, “Tuchel said.
“Big mistake in the second half killed off the game. We gave it away in a way that is just not possible.
“The decisions made by each person were not on our level or in line with our standards. It’s on us all. I’m a part of this.”Benzema scored the first goal for Real in the 21st minute with a rapier thrust at its end.
It was perfect for Benzema to get the ball from Vinicius Junior. He headed it over Mendy and into the top corner from 10 yards.
Benzema was again proving that he was Madrid’s master, and three minutes later, he doubled Real’s lead.
The 34-year-old sped away from Thiago Silva and headed the ball into the far corner from Luka Modric’s pinpoint cross. He used all his experience to do this.
Jorginho’s clever cross caught Dani Carvajal looking at the ball a few minutes before half-time. Havertz slid behind him to head the ball past Thibaut Courtois.
Tuchel brought on Matija Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech at half-time, but Mendy’s nightmare came just one minute after the half-time break.
Because of the way the Senegalese goalkeeper mishandled the ball, there should have been no danger when Mendy caught the long pass outside his area.
Benzema took advantage of Rudiger’s surprise reluctance to make the tackle, stealing the ball and slotting it into the empty net as Tuchel looked on in disbelief. This is what happened:
He is the first player since Cristiano Ronaldo for Real in 2017 to score a hat-trick in two Champions League knockout games in a row.
Jose Courtois made a great tip-over from Cesar Azpilicueta’s strike as Chelsea tried to get back in the game.
But Romelu Lukaku’s terrible goal-mouth miss sums up a night Chelsea will never forget.
