Oviri Kelvin, Sports Editor, Abuja
Yesterday will always be indelible in the hearts of the Real Madrid fans and the club as Karim Benzema 17 minutes hat-trick was enough to crumble Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) from the Champions League round 16 clash.
Madrid, who were already trailing by a goal before the sound of Dutch Danny Makkelie’s whistle, conceded another from the same PSG player to hand the visitors a perceived comfort until the first half ended.
Mbappe, doubtful for the contest after he sustained an injury in Monday’s training session, scored 6 minutes to the end of the first half to hand a 2-0 aggregate to PSG who were already at a goal advantage from the first-leg tie.
However, Benzema like magic turned the 2-0 aggregate around after he scored in the 61st, 76th, and 78th minutes to hand Real Madrid 3-2 aggregate to proceed to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal.
The performance of the striker stunned the football community to record a cracker as one of the best performances by the French international in recent times.
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Following yesterday’s game, Benzema, who is 34 years old, has become the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the UEFA Champions League.
This was a big win for the Los Merengues and the fans whose stadium was covered with a heavy fog until the magician Benzema waved his wand to give the beams of light a safe passage through to the Santiago Bernabeu.
