Real Madrid vs. Borussia Monchengladbach: 3 takeaways from a dominant win

Karim Benzema was the man for the moment

There are several players worth praising effusively for their performances against Borussia Monchengladbach, and a special mention should go to captain Sergio Ramos for being the leader the team needed in such a pivotal Champions League clash.

But we all know Karim Benzema is the man of the hour right now after his brace against Gladbach. Benzema hadn’t scored a brace this season beyond the two goals against Huesca in Eden Hazard’s first start, and there were questions about Benzema’s consistency and effectiveness, especially without Hazard available.

Benzema has pushed past a previous injury and showed that he is still THE guy for Real Madrid by scoring twice against Gladbach. He took both of his headed chances excellently, and while he probably should have bagged a hat trick, he deserves full marks for taking his first two chances. The first headed goal, in particular, was not easy at all.

And of course, the Real Madrid striker’s chance-creation was worth praising as well. According to WhoScored.com, Benzema tied assist-provider Lucas Vazquez and world-class passer Toni Kroos for the team lead with five key passes. He won two dribbles. Benzema’s all-around play has made him one of the world’s most highly-regarded No. 9’s, and he added another big match to his legendary resume on Wednesday night at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.