Real Madrid's Karim Benzema Becomes 3rd-Fastest to 40 Champions League Goals

Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema scored a pair of goals in Wednesday's 3-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield, thus becoming the third-fastest player to record 40 Champions League goals, having reached the milestone in just 67 games, per ESPN's Alexis Martin-Tamayo (via ESPN's Paul Carr).

The only players to score 40 goals faster were Lionel Messi in 61 games and Ruud Van Nistelrooy in an incredible 45.

After Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 23rd minute of Wednesday's match, Benzema added goals in the 30th and 41st minutes, allowing Madrid to carry a three-goal lead into the half.

Benzema's first mark was a header on a cross from Toni Kroos, while the second was an easy tap-in amid some chaos in front of the goal. Both came in the aftermath of corner kicks, though Liverpool had a 9-5 advantage in corners taken.

The victory was Madrid's first in four matches against Liverpool, as the Reds previously beat Los Blancos twice in 2009, and more importantly in the 1981 European Cup Final, per ESPN Stats & Info.

According to ESPN's Carr, Benzema is one of just 11 players with 40 or more goals in Champions League play, joining a group that's led by former Madrid stalwart Raul (71), teammate Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi (69).

Rounding out the list of 40-goal scorers are Van Nistelrooy (56), Thierry Henry (50), Andriy Shevchenko (48), Filippo Inzaghi (46), Didier Drogba (43), Alessandro Del Piero (41) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (41).

Still only 26 years old, Benzema may very well make a run at Raul's 71 goals, but catching Messi and Ronaldo would be a different story entirely, as both superstars seem to be headed for triple digits.