Benzema v Ronaldo: How they compare since Cristiano left Real Madrid
Karan Tejwani
- 7 Apr 2022 13:10 BST
- 4 min read
Karim Benzema added another feather to his cap last night with a hat-trick against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League.
It was his second hat-trick in consecutive Champions League knockout games, following his three goals in the previous round against Paris Saint-Germain.
It also meant that he took his season tally to 37 goals – his best return since joining Los Blancos in the summer of 2009.
A lot of the chatter after the win last night also surrounded his form following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus in 2018.
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The two joined Real Madrid at the same time, but there was always a belief that the Frenchman played second fiddle to the five-time Ballon d’Or winner and was only allowed to truly flourish once the Portuguese departed, even if Benzema was still a wonderful player alongside CR7.
The stats back those claims up as well, and it’s worth looking at the numbers during and after the Portuguese forward’s time in the Spanish capital.
First, the obvious place to look at would be their goals record.
Benzema has put up better numbers
Since the start of the 2018-19 season, when Ronaldo departed for Juventus, Benzema has scored 124 goals for Real Madrid, five more than Ronaldo’s tally of 119 for both the Bianconeri and Manchester United.
Next, in terms of assists, Benzema is clear here as well, racking up 44 over the last three-and-a-half seasons, while Ronaldo has assisted 25 times in that same period.
In terms of trophies, Ronaldo has won more – five – all at Juventus, while also adding a Nations League success with Portugal.
Benzema can match the Nations League success with France following his return to the reigning World Cup holders, but at club level, he has won just three.
In terms of Champions League progression, though, Benzema has gone further, having reached the semi-final last season, and looking to be on course to do the same in this campaign.
The last time Ronaldo reached the semis was back in 2019.
In terms of personal success, Benzema has been eyeing up greater glory, and his two most recent Champions League performances make him a front-runner for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
"He's an intelligent thinking forward but a devastating one at the same time"
"The race for the Ballon d'Or, he's in the lead by a good few furlongs"@rioferdy5 & Joe Cole with high praise for Karim Benzema following his hat-trick vs. Chelsea tonight 🌟#UCLTONIGHT pic.twitter.com/zUr5c4y0jn— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 6, 2022
Real Madrid are on course to win La Liga, adding to Benzema’s case, while they are in a good position in the Champions League, which will only boost his chances of winning the prestigious honour.
Benzema himself has pointed out the differences in his game since the departure of Ronaldo and believes the Portuguese’s exit allowed him to take up more responsibilities in attack.
“When Ronaldo played for Real Madrid, he scored between 50 and 60 goals a year,” Benzema told France Football in January.
“So, you have to adapt to this reality. I had to move more on the pitch, give him space. When he left, what changed was that it was my turn to take over, score goals and provide assists to my other team-mates.”
For now, though, it’s clear to see that Benzema’s performances have improved drastically, and he’s undoubtedly Real Madrid’s leading figure – a role he seems to be enjoying.
