Karim Benzema equals Cristiano Ronaldo’s stunning Champions League knockout record with goal against Man City

KARIM BENZEMA’S extra-time goal against Manchester City equalled an incredible record set by former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo. The Frenchman stepped up to slot past Ederson for what turned out to be the winning goal after two last-gasp Rodrygo goals had sent the Champions League semi-final to extra time. It was a remarkable TENTH […]

KARIM BENZEMA’S extra-time goal against Manchester City equalled an incredible record set by former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Frenchman stepped up to slot past Ederson for what turned out to be the winning goal after two last-gasp Rodrygo goals had sent the Champions League semi-final to extra time.

AFP

Karim Benzema’s winner was his tenth goal in the Champions League knockout stages this season[/caption]

PA:Empics Sport

Benzema levelled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record – set in the 2016-17 season[/caption]

It was a remarkable TENTH Champions League goal for Benzema this season… just in the knockout stages.

The 34-year-old had already netted twice against Manchester City in the semi-final first leg last week.

He also found the back of the net four times across two legs against Chelsea in the quarters, and on three occasions against Paris Saint-Germain in the last-sixteen.

And his effort against Pep Guardiola’s side at the Bernabeu in the 6-5 aggregate win took his knockout tally to double digits in just six games.

It also equalled the record for number of goals scored in the knockout stages of Europe’s elite competition.

Unsurprisingly it was ex-Real man Ronaldo who previously held the stand alone record.

The now Manchester United forward netted ten times in the knockout stages during the 2016-17 campaign.

He reached double digits for goals in the Champions League knockouts after two goals in the final – a 4-1 win over Juventus.

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Benzema also became just the fourth player in history to score in both legs of the quarter-final and semi-final in a single Champions League campaign.

Only Fernando Morientes (Monaco, 2003-04), Neymar (Barcelona 2014-15) and Edin Dzeko (2017-18, Roma) had achieved the feat before.

But with one game still left to play, a rematch of the 2018 final against Liverpool, Benzema will fancy his chances of breaking Ronaldo’s record outright.