Karim Benzema Hailed by Fans as Real Madrid Top Chelsea in UCL QFs Leg 1

Thanks to the continued brilliance of star striker Karim Benzema, Real Madrid got off to a strong start to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals with a 2-0 win over Chelsea in the first leg.

Benzema scored in the 21st minute off a rebound when Vinícius Júnior redirected a Dani Carvajal through ball, which was saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga. The captain and reigning UEFA Player of the Year was trailing the play and found himself in the right place at the right time to put Real Madrid ahead for good.

They kept the pressure on Chelsea throughout the contest by dominating the possession battle and firing 15 shots, 10 of which were on goal. In addition to his score, Benzema sent three more shots toward the net and also did his best to set up his teammates for potential assists. Arrizabalaga was frequently under duress and registered eight saves on the day. Marco Asensio added an insurance goal for Real Madrid in the 74th minute.

But it was Benzema who was the star of the show, and fans on Twitter showered him with well-deserved praise:

Real Madrid and Chelsea will face each other in the second leg of the UCL quarterfinals on Tuesday. Benzema will be primed and ready to keep his hot streak going as he looks to help lead Real Madrid to a second straight UCL title.