Barcelona might have come into the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals as the heavy favourites, but if there is one thing that we have learned about this Real Madrid team over the past two seasons, it is that you should never count them out. They proved it once again here with a 4-0 victory at Camp Nou to book their place in the final against all odds and expectations.
One man who was instrumental once again is Karim Benzema, as has been the case so often over the years. The Frenchman had scored a first half hattrick at the weekend against Real Valladolid. This time around, he found the back of the net three times after the break to end Barcelona’s hopes of making the final.
It was a performance that will go down in the history books. Scoring a hattrick against Barcelona, at the Camp Nou and in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals. Benzema was special and then some.
It also shows why the club trust him so much, despite his recent struggles with injuries. On his day, he is still one of the best players on the planet.
Real Madrid superstar deserves an apology from critics
Benzema has had to face quite a bit of criticism this season. Now 35 years of age, he has struggled to remain fit and had to spend several spells on the sidelines.
That is a genuine issue and the club do need to bring in some reinforcements to provide cover for him. But Benzema has proven that he is still capable of being the main man for Real Madrid, especially with this performance against Barcelona.
Not only does this win put Real Madrid in the final of the Copa del Rey but it also should be a huge confidence booster for them for the rest of the season. While the La Liga title race might be as good as over, the Champions League is still up for grabs.