Karim Benzema believes Real Madrid can do "something magical" and overturn the Champions League semi-final first-leg defeat to Manchester City when the two sides meet again next week in the return fixture.
City claimed a pulsating 4-3 victory at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night in one of the most memorable matches in European Cup history.
The Premier League champions raced into a 2-0 lead, Kevin de Bruyne breaking the deadlock in the second minute and Gabriel Jesus swiftly doubling their advantage. Benzema halved the deficit with a classy finish in the 33rd before Phil Foden headed home unmarked to restore City's two-goal advantage shortly after half time. However, two minutes later, Vinicius Jr made it 3-2 with a superb goal after turning Fernandinho inside out.
Bernardo Silva gave City some breathing room with a stunning strike in the 73rd minute, but Benzema grabbed his second from the penalty spot after Aymeric Laporte handled inside the area. In a sign of the Frenchman's brimming confidence, he dinked a perfectly executed Panenka six days after missing two penalties in one La Liga match.
With the tie delicately poised ahead of the second leg, Benzema has called on Real Madrid and the club's fans to turn the Bernabeu into a fortress next Wednesday as the Spanish giants aim to keep alive their bid for a record-extending 14th European Cup.
"A defeat is never good because we are really excited about the Champions League. The most important thing is we never lay down our arms, we are all in this until the end," Benzema, 33, said.
"Now we have to go to the Bernabeu and we will need our fans like never before and we are going to do something magical, which is win."
Benzema is enjoying the most prolific campaign of his distinguished career. His double against City moved him on to 41 goals in 41 games across competitions, while he surpassed Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski as this season's top goalscorer in the Champions League with 14. Benzema's penalty in particular demonstrated his sensational form having had two spot kicks saved against Osasuna last Wednesday.
Man City v Real Madrid player ratings
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MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson - 6: A couple of poor passes from the back in first half that could have been punished on another day. No chance with goals and outwitted by cheeky Benzema penalty. Reuters -
John Stones - 6: Playing out of comfort zone at right-back and had been solid enough up against the dangerous Vinicius Junior before limping off injured late in first half. Looked devastated as he headed off down tunnel. AP -
Aymeric Laporte - 5: Should have closed down Vinicius Junior before Brazilian's goal. Found himself in centre-forward’s position after 68 minutes but hit shot straight at Ederson. Blatant handball to give away penalty and allow Benzema to score from spot to make it 4-3. Reuters -
Ruben Dias - 6: Deflected Vinicius shot wide in opening 20 minutes but was relieved to see linesman flag go up when he deflected pass from same player onto own post. Important header with Benzema primed to finish just before hour. Twice nearly got on end of crosses that would have made it 5-3. AP -
Oleksandr Zinchenko - 7: Drilled shot wide of target in first half but beaten to ball by Benzema for Real’s opener soon after. Set up chance for Laporte that centre-half couldn’t finish. Did really well against pace of Rodrygo. PA -
Rodri - 8: The anchorman at the base of City’s slick midfield and bossed middle of park despite being up against Kroos and Modric. Couldn’t get track back quick enough to prevent Vinicius Junor scoring. Reuters -
Bernardo Silva - 8: Not as much impact as City’s wide players in first half but still a key part of City’s superb pace and movement going forward. Cracking finish into top corner to make it 4-2. PA -
Kevin De Bruyne - 9: Brilliant diving header inside two minutes to give City perfect start, then provided cross into box for Jesus’ goal. Was simply unplayable at times and his distribution another level to everyone on pitch, which is saying something considering the attacking talent on show. PA -
Riyad Mahrez - 8: Driving run and cracking ball into box to set-up De Bruyne’s opener but left manager Pep Guardiola going ballistic on touchline when he shot into side netting with teammates waiting for pass in middle. Hit post with glorious chance just after break and clipped another shot across face goal after mazy run. PA -
Phil Foden - 8: Caused chaos in the Real defence with his attacking runs down left. First touch let him down ahead of shot he pulled wide that would have made it 3-0. Should have scored just after half-time but saw Carvajal block his effort on line, but did make it 3-1 minutes later with simple header. PA -
Gabriel Jesus - 7: Four goals against Watford at weekend and continued his scoring streak with calm finish to make it 2-0 in blistering start from City. EPA -
SUBS: Fernandinho – (On for Stones 37’) 6: Fantastic run down right and ball into box for Foden’s goal but got done by Vinicius Junior in run-up to Real’s second goal minutes later. Younger legs than veteran midfielder’s have found Vinicius Junior’s pace a problem, in defence of veteran. Getty -
Raheem Sterling – (On for Jesus 83’) N/A. Getty -
REAL MADRID RATINGS: Thibaut Courtois - 6: Helpless as defence went missing far too regularly and nothing he could do about first three goals – but caught flat-footed for fourth when Silva fired into top corner of his near post. EPA -
Dani Carvajal - 7: Allowed De Bruyne to ghost in front of him for City’s early goal. Vital clearance just before break from Mahrez cross across six-yard box and even more important block on line just after half-time from Foden after Mahrez hit post. Good ball into box that Militao failed to finish. EPA -
Eder Militao - 5: Struggled to deal with City’s movement and looked shaky at back throughout. Turned inside out by Jesus late in first half and then easily beaten by Mahrez early in second when Algerian hit post. Headed chance straight at keeper that would have made it 3-3. AP -
David Alaba - 5: Austrian defender was injury doubt before match and badly caught out for Jesus’ goal. Flicked header just wide of target on half-hour mark. Didn’t make it out for second half as gamble to play failed to pay off. AFP -
Ferland Mendy - 6: Supplied ball into box for Benzema’s goal but couldn’t handle Mahrez’s runs down his flank and endured a tough night defensively. Reuters -
Luka Modric - 7: Croatian mdifelder seemed to be missing midfield partner in crime Casemiro as Real couldn’t get ball off City for first 20 minutes. Played his way into game and hit shot just wide of target from edge of box in last 15 minutes. Reuters -
Toni Kroos - 6: Gave away clumsy foul on edge of Real box just before break and was relieved to see De Bruyne crack shot straight at wall. A lot expected of Real’s midfield before game but German struggled. EPA -
Federico Valverde - 7: Tireless workrate as always and in right place to divert cross away after Militao had been skinned by Jesus. Getty -
Rodrygo - 6: Powered shot straight at Ederson as Real started to battle back into game after disastrous start. Kept relatively under control by Zinchenko and his last contribution before being taken off was a poor pass out for goal-kick to waste good opportunity for Real. Getty -
Karim Benzema – 9: Great ball into box that Alaba headed wide in first half. Pulled Real back into game with excellent first-time finish after 33 minutes for 40th goal of season. Ice-cold nerves with Panenka finish from the spot and make it 3-3 from the most in-form striker on the planet. EPA -
Vinicius Junior - 7: Saw shot deflected wide after 18 minutes when Benzema was crying out for pass. Some Brazilian magic to make it 3-2 with a sensational dummy past Fernandinho, surging down left flank before finishing well. Getty -
SUBS: Nacho – (On for 46 Alaba’) 6: Real would have been hoping Spaniard would help shore up a leaky defensive showing but found dealing with City’s attackers as problematic as his teammates. AFP -
Eduardo Camavinga – (On for Rodrygo 70’) 6: No chance for highly-rated midfielder to make his mark. Reuters -
Dani Ceballos – (On for Rodrygo 79’) N/A. Reuters Marco Asensio – (On for Vinicius Junior 88’) N/A.
"I always have it in my head that if you don’t take a penalty, you will never miss a penalty," said Benzema, who scored successive Champions League hat-tricks against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea in the previous two rounds. "That’s mental confidence and that's all. I have a lot of confidence in myself ... so I do it and it turns out well."
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said he was pleased with his team's reaction from going down 2-0 so early in the match but insisted they need to defend better in the second leg to advance to the final.
"It was a fantastic game. As manager of Real Madrid I have to take consideration that we scored three goals, which is really important. We didn't defend well, we can do better," the Italian said. "We concede two goals early in the game and then we are able to react really well. We kept the game open until the end. Now we have a great dream to play the second game in the Bernabeu and we hope to have the chance to go to the final.
"We need [some magic] as we are going to play against a really strong team. We competed today and we need to do that more in our stadium."
