After his brilliance in the Champions League last 16, it would have taken a brave man to bet on lightning striking twice.
Yet that is exactly what has happened from a player who is arguably the best in Europe on current form.
Just under a month ago, Karim Benzema netted a 16-minute hat-trick to send Paris St Germain packing in a superb comeback which had the Bernabeu rocking.
At the time I referred to Real Madrid as the club inspired by ‘impossible’ and which treated ‘unlikely’ with a sneer.
Well hold the back page because brilliant Benzema has only gone and done it again.
In a re-match of last season’s semi-final, the Frenchman grabbed another treble with arguably an even greater all-round performance to leave holders Chelsea on the edge of elimination.
Benzema has now netted 70 goals for the La Liga giants in the competition, three ahead of club legend Raul (66) and behind only another club legend, Cristiano Ronaldo (105).
After his deft touch played in team-mate Vinicius, who rattled the crossbar, 10 minutes in, Real could have been left to rue failing to take advantage of a glorious early opportunity at Stamford Bridge.
Fear not for Benzema had only just got started.
First, he teamed up with the Brazilian before directing a superb header beyond Edouard Mendy. Then he pulled into space to guide another fine header into the bottom corner from a delicious Luka Modric delivery.
Two goals in three minutes and another masterclass from Benzema was well underway.
The home players and fans were stunned.
They are not European champions without pedigree, of course, and five minutes before the break it was the turn of Kai Havertz, the match-winner in last season’s final, to pull away from a defender to meet Jorginho’s delightful delivery which former Chelsea man Thibaut Courtois could not keep out.
Game on? Not really.
The one thing the hosts could ill afford was a poor start to second period but that is exactly what happened within a minute as Mendy, miles out of his penalty area, fluffed a pass intended for centre-back Antonio Rudiger and a gleeful Benzema rolled the ball into an empty net.
Yes, Chelsea should have reduced the deficit at least once in the second half, including a brilliant save from Courtois to deny Cesar Azplicueta, but from that very first minute of the half, Real Madrid managed the game, led from the sidelines by one of the best in the business.
It amazes me that a figure who is not only one of the greatest football managers of all time – but also someone who has restored some order back to life amidst the cosmopolitan capital that can be Real – is seemingly under threat.
For Carlo Ancelotti is on the verge of reclaiming the Spanish throne back from city rivals Atletico and has done so without breaking the bank.
Indeed, his team is 12 points clear at the top of La Liga and, while there is no question some serious work lies ahead, the Italian has provided a sense of stability and continuity.
Ancelotti is poised to become the first manager in history to win the title in each of Europe’s big five leagues and deserved to receive a warm welcome back at Stamford Bridge where he guided Chelsea to a league and cup double in 2010 – all this less than a year after a trophy-less season followed by the departure of iconic boss Zinedine Zidane, captain Sergio Ramos and his central defensive partner Raphael Varane.
At such a precarious time in terms of morale, club president Florentino Perez needed a safe pair of hands, someone to lead the short-term task of calmly guiding the team out of choppy waters.
That man has now guided a club supposedly in transition to within 90 minutes of the last four of the Champions League.
Oh yes, and only Ronlado (25) has scored more headed goals in Champions League history than Benzema (17).
Ace Ancelotti, Brilliant Benzema and Majestic Madrid keep on creating Champions League highlights.
If Benzema has one rival for the most deadliest marksman, it has to be Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski who, until tonight, had averaged a goal every 58 minutes in this season’s competition.
Yet on his 105th Champions League appearance, it was not his night in Spain as Bayern, appearing in the quarter-finals for a competition record 20th time, were deservedly beaten by last season’s Europa League winners Villarreal.
It took just eight minutes for Arnaut Danjuma to send the home fans wild with a poachers’ goal.
It would have been even more for the Yellow Submarine had Francis Coquelin not just strayed offside and Gerard Moreno seen a shot bounce back off the post.
The SBOTOP Champions League betting odds will still expect Bayern to overturn the deficit next week – but it may well be closer than many expect.
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