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Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo talk to one another during Real Madrid's Champions League match against Schalke, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, March 2015

Comparing Benzema’s current CL campaign to Messi & Ronaldo’s best

Rahul Lakhani •

Karim Benzema is having an absolute stormer of a season and delivered in the Champions League yet again to send Real Madrid through to another final. The Frenchman is breaking new ground in European greatness after his goals in every knockout round, and some are comparing his season to some of the best ever.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are two of the greatest players ever, and the top two goalscorers in Champions League history, but even they never achieved Benzema’s feat of scoring in all four games of the quarter and semi-finals.

All three players have won multiple Champions League titles in their careers, and have all had incredibly influential campaigns for their clubs in doing so, but how does Benzema’s current run compare to the other two?

Ronaldo lifted the trophy in his most prolific year, but Messi’s Barcelona was knocked out in the semi-finals to Chelsea during his. Benzema will finish as either a champion or runner-up.

We’ve taken a look at Benzema’s Champions League record this season, compared to Messi’s highest-scoring campaign in 2011-12 and Ronaldo’s in 2012-13.

Karim Benzema [2021-22]

Games: 11
Starts: 11
Sub appearances: 0

Goals: 15
Assists: 2

Penalties scored: 3

Hat-tricks: 2
Free-kicks: 0

Minutes per goal: 68
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 84.6
Minutes per goal or assist: 59.7

Lionel Messi [2011-12]

Games: 11
Starts: 11
Sub appearances: 0

Goals: 14
Assists: 5

Penalties scored: 4

Hat-tricks: 2
Free-kicks: 0

Minutes per goal: 71
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 99
Minutes per goal or assist: 52.1

Cristiano Ronaldo [2013-14]

Games: 11
Starts: 11
Sub appearances: 0

Goals: 17
Assists: 5

Penalties scored: 2

Hat-tricks: 1
Free-kicks: 1

Minutes per goal: 58
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 66.2
Minutes per goal or assist: 45.1


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