Karim Benzema: ‘It’s my dream to win another Champions League’

Macdara Ferris reports from the Stade de France

Real Madrid are certainly more than a one man team, however without striker Karim Benzema this season they simply would not have reached the Champions League final in Paris.

In the last 16, Madrid trailed PSG 2-0 at half-time in the second leg only for Real to be rescued by the 34-year-old striker. Benzema scored an 18 minute second half hat-trick to win the tie and set up a quarter-final against Chelsea. 

Again, Benzema proved the hero scoring a first leg hat-trick (this time in a more leisurely 26 minutes) and in the second leg he got the extra-time winner. The AS newspaper put it simply ‘Madrid won because they have Benzema and Chelsea don’t’.

In the semi-final, again they were essentially out only to score twice in injury time of the second leg against Manchester City before, who else, Karim Benzema got the extra-time winner. 

The Frenchman has the chance to equal Alfredo di Stefano’s fifth European Cup crown with Real Madrid this weekend. “I’ll see whether I’ve made club history when I finish my football career,” said Benzema in an interview for the Champions League final match programme.

“It’s my dream to win another Champions League. The four titles brought different feelings; the last one in Kyiv (beating Liverpool in 2018), I scored in the final, but the others were also emotional.”

Benzema’s teammate Marcelo hailed the Frenchman’s presence in the Real squad. The pair have played together for Los Blancos since Benzema joined the club in 2009 (the striker's first game for Real was against Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght Stadium where he scored the only goal in the friendly game). 

“We all know about his quality and his leadership skill,” said the Brazilian speaking to the media on the eve of the final. “He has had an amazing season and over the recent years. His character and presence help the team so much.”

Records

Benzema’s 15 goals in 11 European Cup games this year leave him just two strikes behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s all time record of 17 goals in one Champions League campaign (he equalled the Portuguese player’s record of ten goals for a single Champions League knockout stage this year). The forward is one of only two players to score in 17 consecutive Champions League seasons - Ronaldo is unsurprisingly the other to do so.

Scoring 27 league goals (in 32 league appearances), the Frenchman was La Liga’s top goalscorer this season, helping Real to their 35^th title (and his fourth). Coming into the 46^th game of his season, he has a remarkable 44 goals in all competitions.

Carlo Ancelotti managed the striker now across to spells with Los Blancos. “We know about the quality that Karim Benzema has and he is having an amazing season,” Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti said speaking at the Stade de France on Friday. 

“Going back to my first stint, Karim Benzema always had so much character and he has grown in that department. His quality hasn’t changed. He has always been very humble.”

Including his goals for Lyon earlier in his career, Benzema has 86 in 141 European Cup matches.

Thibaut Courtois has played with the French striker over the past four seasons (and against him in the 2014 final) and has the seen the ongoing improvement of the player; one who leads from the front with his pressing game proving very fruitful in helping getting Real to the final by pushing opponents into mistakes in the recent knockout matches.

“He has got even better and gone from strength to strength,” said Courtois ahead of the game. “He keeps scoring and his pressing means he doesn’t stop running even when we are being tested.”

Overall Benzema has score 74 goals in 122 Champions League appearances for Real Madrid. Nobody will be betting against him making the landmark of 75 for Real (and maybe more) in Saturday’s final.

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