King Karim: Benzema’s magic stuns Chelsea as Madrid take a 3-1 lead against holders in CL QFs

Back-to-back Champions League hat tricks just reinforce the enduring value of Karim Benzema’s clinical fi nishing to Real Madrid. “He is more of a leader every day,” the Madrid coach said after Benzema’s goals produced a 3-1 victory over Chelsea in the quarterfi nals on Wednesday.

This latest goal burst could end Chelsea’s title defense, barring the type of second-leg collapse by Madrid that Paris Saint-Germain endured last month at the the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

Benzema now has 37 goals in 36 games in all competitions this season, including the three that turned around the last-16 meeting with PSG.

“They’re magic nights,” Benzema said. “Today we came out to win, to show we’re Real Madrid. Things worked out well for us as we played well, from the fi rst minute to the last.”

The France international is almost single-handedly keeping the Spanish giants on the path to a record-extending 14th European Cup — and a fi fth for himself — and powering them to regaining the La Liga title. Of Madrid’s last 11 goals, 10 have been scored by the mainstay of the team for the last 13 years.

The fi rst two at Stamford Bridge were thumping headers inside three fi rst-half minutes in the driving rain, while the third was gifted to him in a manner that raised doubts about whether Chelsea can muster a comeback in Madrid on Tuesday.

“I’m happiest to have scored the third,” he said, “as I missed one in the fi rst half and I was thinking about that chance because it’s very important to score goals. Then I got another and I’m very happy.”

An all-English semifi nal is looking less likely. The winner of this quarterfi nal will face Manchester City or Atletico Madrid, with City ahead 1-0 after Tuesday’s fi rst leg at the Etihad Stadium. “We have to fi nd our level back,” Tuchel said, “but we don’t know where it is.