Karim Benzema Promises More Magic And Says Fans Will Help Real Madrid Beat Man City

Karim Benzema has declared that Real Madrid will beat Manchester City to reach May's Champions League final in Paris by doing "something magical".
Karim Benzema Promises More Magic And Says Fans Will Help Real Madrid Beat Man City
Karim Benzema Promises More Magic And Says Fans Will Help Real Madrid Beat Man City /

Karim Benzema has declared that Real Madrid will overcome Manchester City to reach May's Champions League final in Paris.

Real were beaten 4-3 in Manchester on Tuesday night but they will have home advantage in the second leg of their semi-final next week.

Madrid's Bernabeu Stadium has a capacity of 81,044 and Benzema is promising fans who show up that they will see "something magical".

Benzema was quoted by BBC Sport as saying: "A defeat is never good because we are really excited about the Champions League.

"The most important thing is we never lay down our arms, we are all in this until the end.

"Now we have to go to the Bernabeu and we will need our fans like never before and we are going to do something magical, which is win."

Karim Benzema pictured applauding Real Madrid's traveling fans at the Etihad Stadium after his side's 4-3 loss in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final
Karim Benzema pictured applauding Real Madrid's traveling fans at the Etihad Stadium after his side's 4-3 loss in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final :: IMAGO/Marca

Benzema netted two of Real's three goals at the Etihad Stadium, while Vinicius Junior was also on the scoresheet.

Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva scored for City, who led 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2.

But Real did not panic. After all, They are no strangers to a European comeback this season.

Having beaten PSG 3-2 on aggregate from 2-0 down in the last 16, Real got the better of Chelsea despite being 10 minutes from elimination in the quarter-finals.

Whether Real go on to win their 14th European Cup or not, Benzema will almost certainly end the season with the Champions League's Golden Boot.

He scored his 13th and 14th UCL goals of the season in Manchester.

Benzema's second came from the penalty spot but it was arguably one of the most spectacular goals of the night.

Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson watches on helplessly as Karim Benzema's Panenka penalty loops into his net
City goalkeeper Ederson watches on helplessly as Benzema's Panenka penalty loops into his net :: IMAGO/NurPhoto/Jose Breton

He beat Ederson with a cheeky Panenka spot-kick - a bold choice of shot for a man who had failed to score three penalties already in April.

"I always have it in my head that if you don't take a penalty, you will never miss a penalty," he said on his decision to step up again.

"That's mental confidence and that's all. I have a lot of confidence in myself... so I do it and it turns out well."


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Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.