LONDON: Karim Benzema’s scored a brilliant hat-trick as he fired Real Madrid to a 3-1 win against Chelsea that put the Champions League holders on the brink of elimination after Wednesday’s quarter-final first leg.
Benzema produced a masterclass at Stamford Bridge as the France striker netted twice in the first half with two perfectly-taken headers.
Kai Havertz reduced the deficit before the interval, but Benzema punished a woeful mistake from Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy in the second half to complete his treble.
It was the sublime Benzema’s second successive Champions League hat-trick after he single-handedly inspired their epic comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16-second leg.
Ancelotti’s side is in pole position to advance to the semi-finals as they return to Madrid for the second leg on April 12.
After losing to Chelsea in last season’s Champions League semi-finals, Real will have the opportunity to exact revenge at the Bernabeu.
Real won the last of their 13 Champions League titles in 2018 and, while they may not be favourites in this year’s tournament, their ruthless victory in west London was a significant statement of intent from the La Liga leaders.
With 11 goals this term, Benzema has scored more times than any other Frenchman in a single European Cup campaign, moving past Just Fontaine’s 10-goal haul in 1958-59.
“They’re magic nights. Today we came out to win, to show we’re Real Madrid,” Benzema said.
“We played well from the first minute to the last. They’re very important goals.”
Chelsea were a shadow of the supremely organised side that marched to their second Champions League crown last year and won six successive games in all competitions before the recent international break.
In another quarterfinal, Villarreal edged past Bayern Munich by 1-0 as Arnaut Danjuma netted one in the opening minutes of the game.
The defeat ended Bayern’s record run of 22 matches unbeaten away from home in the Champions League.
It was a sequence dating back to September 2017 and a 3-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain, at the time coached by current Villarreal boss Unai Emery.
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