'The best No 9 of our generation': Mesut Ozil leads tributes to former team-mate Karim Benzema after Real Madrid striker's Clasico hat-trick helped dump Barcelona out of Copa del Rey to earn place in the final
- Karim Benzema scored a brilliant hat-trick as Real Madrid blew away their rivals
- Second consecutive hat-trick for the Frenchman as he gears up for Chelsea tie
- Barcelona had led going into the second leg but were blown away in second half
Mesut Ozil has led the tributes to his former team-mate Karim Benzema after he became the first European-born player to score a Clasico hat-trick since Gary Lineker in 1987.
Barcelona had led 1-0 from the first leg, with a place in the Copa del Rey final against Osasuna up for grabs. However, despite having the better of proceedings for much of the first half, they found themselves level on aggregate at the break, Vinicius Jnr's strike finding the back of the net.
Real Madrid emerged from the break a team possessed, harrying and pressing Barcelona, with the hosts not having an answer for their irresistible visitors.
'The King,' Ozil wrote on social media, followed by three 'crown' emojis. 'My Boy Benzi! The best No 9 of our generation.'
Benzema, undoubtedly the player of the evening, linked with his fellow attackers Vinicius and Rodrygo expertly, giving Barcelona's defenders a torrid evening in front of their own supporters.
His first came via a lovely first-time finish, while he bagged his second from the penalty spot after Vinicius had been brought down by Franck Kessie.
Karim Benzema has been hailed by former team-mate Mesut Ozil after his Nou Camp hat-trick
The Frenchman became the first Real Madrid player since 1963 to score a hat-trick at the Nou Camp
He also became the first European since Gary Lineker to score a Clasico treble
Benzema's third came courtesy of some incisive running from Vinicius, who fed him using an inventive bit of skill. Sitting Marc-Andre ter Stegen down, Benzema slotted cooly into the bottom corner.
Having achieved the remarkable, and slightly alarming, feat of becoming the first European to notch a Clasico hat-trick, the tributes flooded in for Benzema on social media.
Benzema's hat-trick ensured he became the first Real Madrid player since Hungarian Ferenc Puskas in 1963 to score a hat-trick at the Nou Camp.
Lineker himself welcomed Benzema to 'the club'.
Somewhat ironically, Benzema broke Lineker's run just days after the former Barcelona and England centre-forward had been speaking about it on television in the United Kingdom.
Other tributes flooded in, with one social media user describing Benzema as in 'play-off mode', perhaps insinuating he had saved himself for this crucial stage of the campaign.
'Benzema is in playoff mode. League's done, UCL to focus on,' they wrote.
'Just rewatching all the goals and the quality of Benzema’s finishing when he’s on it is supreme, different class man,' another wrote.
'Benzema is a cheatcode,' another supporter simply claimed.
Meanwhile, another supporter hailed Real Madrid's ability on the break, writing: 'Classic Real counter attacking futbol.'
Ozil labelled his former team-mate the best No 9 of their generation in a heart-warming post
Real Madrid had trailed Barcelona 1-0 heading into the second leg but produced a stunning performance
Benzema is the first Real Madrid player to score a hat trick at the Camp Nou since Puskas did even the goat Ronaldo couldn't do it there,' another hailed. 'Massive respect.'
Offering a wider view, one supporter suggested Benzema's retirement will spark a revisiting of the 'greatest of all time' strikers list.
'Look at this guy,' they wrote. 'I'll be revisiting my GOAT strikers list when he retires.'
Another simply labelled him the greatest of all time now, writing: 'Karim Benzema is the GOAT. Fact.'
'If he wins is the UCL this season the way he did last season and and have a decent next 2 seasons than I think it would be fair to consider him the best number 9 of this generation,' another supporter wrote.
Most watched Sport videos
- Dolphins Coach McDaniel walks into press conference with new look
- Mail Sport launch Sami Mokbel's new column
- Jason Whitlock on Angel Reese 'attaching her brand to Caitlin Clark'
- NBA legend and Olympic champion Steph Curry endorses Kamala Harris
- Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca stresses on Noni Madueke's performance
- Chelsea train despite ongoing squad size troubles
- Anthony Albanese's awkward gaffe at NRL Hall of Fame gala evening
- Jack Wilshere lends support to Ronald McDonald House Charities UK
- Cristiano Ronaldo launches YouTube channel
- Tim Lovejoy and 'Hells Bells' reunite for Mail podcast Soccer A-Z
- Listen to Travis Kelce practice at training camp while mic'd up
- Cocky baseball fan and man at Padres-Twins game get into brutal fight