Following his hat-trick in tonight’s Champions League last 16 clash between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, Karim Benzema broke another record.
PSG were 2-0 up with 45 minutes of the two-legged tie to go thanks to goals in both games to Kylian Mbappe, before Benzema inspired his team to a thrilling comeback under the lights at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Making the most of a catalogue of PSG errors between the 61st and 78th minute, Benzema’s trio of goals turned the tie around for the Spanish league leaders favour, and saw them through into the quarter-finals once again.
But Benzema is the one who rightly will take all the plaudits tonight, and a remarkable stat has emerged to show he is aging like fine wine.
Stat’s specialist OptaJoe have revealed Benzema is now the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League, taking the title away from Olivier Giroud.
34 – At the age of 34 years and 80 days, Karim Benzema has become the oldest player to score a UEFA Champions League hat-trick, taking the mantle from Olivier Giroud. There were just 106 seconds between the Frenchman's second and third goals this evening. Goosebumps. pic.twitter.com/XPcdhIAuAi
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 9, 2022
Benzema clearly didn’t want to be outdone by Robert Lewandowski, who last night scored his own hat-trick in a 7-1 romping against RB Salzburg.
Both players may be approaching the twilight year’s of their respective careers, but they both appear to be getting better and better, reminding all of us that in terms of forwards there remains a big two from the last generation.