Real Madrid 6-0 Real Valladolid: Karim Benzema scores hat-trick in seven minutes

Karim Benzema scored a seven-minute hat-trick as Real Madrid thrashed Valladolid 6-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu.

The first-half hat trick meant he became the first player in the club’s history to score more than 20 goals in 11 seasons. Club legends Raúl and Alfredo di Stefano did it in 10 seasons now that the 35-year-old is in a league of his own.

Benzema’s goals on 29, 32 and 36 minutes mean he will get most of the applause, but Rodrygo Goes was the man of the match and Ancelotti placing him behind Benzema in the line of three behind the striker was also a change in Carlo Ancelotti’s system. he liked what he saw.

The Italian has stuck to his favorite 4-3-3 this season, but will now be tempted to use this 4-2-3-1 against Barcelona on Wednesday in the Spanish Cup semi-final second leg at the that Madrid loses 1-0, and against Chelsea the following week in the Champions League.

It was almost a Roque horror show start for Real Madrid with former Swansea midfielder Roque Mesa causing mayhem. He first finished off the crossbar from the edge of the area and then his low pass found Lucas Rosa who crossed for Monchu to shoot wide.

But in minute 23, Madrid took the lead. Eduardo Camavinga started it and Rodrygo finished it. The Frenchman, who was playing on the left side, recovered the ball deep in the home field. He gave it to Aurelien Tchhouameni who fed it to Marco Asensio. He passed it rolling to Rodrygo who beat Sergio Asenjo in the goal of Valladolid.

In the 28th minute there were two when Vinicius slipped in from the left and took out Benzema in the small area. The French striker ducked to score with a low diving header after the ball rebounded.

And Benzema got another three minutes later after Rodrygo passed the ball to Vinicius and Vinicius shoved it into Benzema’s path. This time his shot was a curved shot to the corner that put the game out of doubt before the break.

Nothing stopped him and four minutes later, when Rodrygo’s cross was behind him, he finished it off with a volley from close range with a spectacular overhead kick to make it 4-0.

Kike Pérez came on at half-time and almost immediately hit the post with a shot that had beaten Courtois but missed the net. Rodrygo then hit a Valladolid post as Real Madrid tried to extend their lead.

In the 65th minute, Madrid was so comfortable that they could afford to bring on Eden Hazard and the local fans whistled him onto the pitch. It was Benzema who led the way. Real Madrid may have given up on catching Barcelona, ​​but Benzema is closing in on Robert Lewandowski and is now just three league goals behind the Pole on Spain’s top scorer list. His work for the afternoon was done.

There was almost a goal immediately after the substitution, but Rodrgyo’s goal was ruled out by VAR because Vinicius had used his arm in preparation. Finally the fifth came when Asensio scored from the great Rodrygo.

Only one goal from Hazard was missing. In his first start since playing in the Cup in January and just his fourth league game of the season, he struggled but the goal never came and he looked heavy even against an exhausted Valladolid defence. However, he teeed off in the sixth. Asenjo’s shot went directly to the Belgian and he put in Lucas Vázquez to score.

It capped off a very productive afternoon for the team. Madrid had shown that they are still full of goals and prepared for the big Cup games that are coming up.