Benzema joins Cristiano Ronaldo in matching Champions League record

Karim Benzema became just the second player in Champions League history to score back-to-back hat-tricks in the knockout stages of the competition after his three goals against Chelsea for Real Madrid.

Prior to Wednesday night, the Frenchman's former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo was the only player to have scored successive hat-tricks in the knockout stages, which he did against Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid in 2017.

But the 34-year-old joined the current Manchester United star in achieving the feat by following his hat-trick in Real Madrid's dramatic last-16 second leg victory against Paris Saint-Germain last month with another in a 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge.

The France international scored two fantastic headers in three first-half minutes following crosses from Vinicius Junior and Luka Modric to put Madrid in control in west London before Kai Havertz halved the deficit.

Benzema then completed his hat-trick a minute into the second half, pouncing on Edouard Mendy's mishit pass to Antonio Rudiger and winning the duel with the German defender before slotting home into an empty net.

Ronaldo and Benzema are also joined by Luiz Adriano in 2014 and Lionel Messi six years ago to score hat-tricks in back-to-back appearances in Champions League history.

Benzema - who is now just seven goals shy of overtaking Raul as the second-highest goalscorer behind Ronaldo in Real Madrid history - also became the first player to score a European hat-trick against the Blues.

It was just the latest instalment in Benzema's best goalscoring season at the Santiago Bernabeu since he joined from Lyon in 2009, with this season's tally now standing at a phenomenal 37 goals in just 36 appearances in all competitions.

But the records did not stop there, with Opta claiming he is also the first French player ever to hit double-figures in a single Champions League season.

Benzema netted five goals in the group stage, with the goals coming home and away against Shakhtar Donetsk and Sheriff.

He then followed that up with three in seventeen crazy minutes in the last-16 second leg against PSG before his exploits against Chelsea took him up to 11.

It draws him level with former France U21 international Sebastien Haller in this season's competition, but the Ajax star switched his international allegiances to Ivory Coast in 2020.

Only one Frenchman hit double figures in the European Cup - the predecessor of the Champions League - with Just Fontaine scoring 10 goals for Reims in the 1958-59 season.

But Benzema - who also last month became France's all-time record goalscorer after surpassing Thierry Henry - went pass Fontaine's tally to put the 13-time champions in prime position to reach the last four of this year's Champions League.

Former Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas and current boss Carlo Ancelotti, as well as ex-England internationals Gary Lineker and Rio Ferdinand, were among those to praise the Frenchman.

'Karim Benzema is getting better every day; just like a fine wine,' said Real coach Ancelotti.

'He's more of a leader every day, he feels more and more important in this team and this squad. And I think that's what makes the difference.

'He has so much more personality, he knows he's a very important player for us and he's an example for everyone.

'I think the most important thing was the bravery that the players showed. The key was that we brought the ball out from the back very well, we were able to get between the lines and Vinicius and Karim Benzema were very dangerous. Both of them linked up very well.'