fiery. Karim Benzema scored a hat trick today (Sunday) in just six and a half minutes against Real Valladolid, and now has 14 goals in 18 games in the Spanish league.
This is Benzema’s first hat-trick in the league since September 2021, and the first hat-trick in all competitions since the 3-1 win over Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Real, by the way, will meet the same Chelsea at the same stage – the quarter-finals of the Champions League – next week.
This is the first time Benzema has scored a hat-trick in the first half as a Real Madrid player, and the first hat-trick by a Real Madrid player in the league since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2015.
In the Spanish media, as expected, they were enthusiastic: “He’s crazy. He’s warming up at exactly the right time,” it was written. “Benzema is great for Real Valladolid and a great football game, now they just let him rest for the rest of the season. Do his thing.”
“McDowell found his sense of smell back,” they added in “Brand“. “The best version of himself. Wake up at the right time with big goals, just never-ending.” Given the big gap between Real Madrid and Barcelona, it may be that Benzema’s awakening will be more important for the enterprise he won last year – the Champions League.
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◉ 35:08′A hat-trick in 6 minutes & 30 seconds for Karim Benzema against Real Valladolid. ???? pic.twitter.com/CcvkIOtqnt
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) April 2, 2023