King Karim the bridge between Real & win

London: Back-to-back Champions League hat-tricks just reinforce the enduring value of Karim Benzema’s clinical finishing to Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti sees so much more being provided by the 34-year-old forward he compares to a fine wine. “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 quarterfinals on Wednesday. “He feels more and more important in this team and I think that’s what makes the difference. He has so much more personality. He is an example for everyone.” Meanwhile, Villarreal pulled off another surprising Champions League result, this time against sixth-time champions Bayern Munich to boost their hopes of entering the semifinals for the first time in 16 years. Arnaut Danjuma’s goal early in the first half was enough for Villarreal. AP

Advertisement