Karim Benzema Equals Cristiano Ronaldo's Champions League Record With Real Madrid.

Karim Benzema equalled one of Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for the most knockout goals in a single Champions League campaign and he will fancy his chances of surpassing that record when he faces Liverpool in the final.

Coming into the Champions League semi-final second leg clash against Man City on Wednesday night, the Madrid’s number nine had already scored his shirt number of goals in the knockout stages, which included a sensational back-to-back hat-tricks against PSG and Chelsea. This put him just one shy of Ronaldo’s record of 10 in the knock-out stage of  tournament's history.

The newly crowned La Liga Champions, appeared to be crashing out of the competition until the 90th minute of Wednesday’s thrilling semi-final second leg against the Premier League leaders, with Rodrygo netting a dramatic brace within 1min and 28 secs to send the game to extra-time.

Five minute into the extra-time, Benzema was fouled inside the box and stepped up to convert the resulting penalty, burying it in the bottom corner to secure a 6-5 aggregate win which made him equal Ronaldo's record of 10 goals in the knock-out stage

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Karim Benzema who is having one of the best seasons in his life, has scored a total of 43 goals in 43 games, and has scored 15 goals in the Champions League this season, having netted five times in the group stages, while he has also laid on two assists.

The 35-year-old is the joint third most of any single-season UCL campaign. Ronaldo's 17 and 16 goals in 2013/14 and 2015/16 seasons are first and second.

What. A. Season.

Karim Benzema has equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's record for most goals scored in a single Champions League knockout phase 😮#UCL pic.twitter.com/ANNovg55jv

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 4, 2022

Benzema is also on the verge of breaking that Ronaldo's record for the most goals in a Champions League season (17 goals) which the Portuguese goal machine achieved in 2013/14 season.

That year, Ronaldo netted five goals in a 6-3 aggregate win over Bayern Munich in the quarter-final, three goals at the Bernabeu against Atletico Madrid in the semi-final and a brace in the final against Juventus.

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A hattrick for Benzema against Liverpool in the final at Stade de France in Paris would beat that record, or join him with a brace.

Ronaldo and Benzema together for Real Madrid, were one of the most frightening attacking duo, but with the five time Ballon d'Or winner departure in 2018, Benzema has really stepped up to the mark in the UCL.