Brilliant Benzema guides Real Madrid to league title

MADRID : Real Madrid's triumphant 2021-22 LaLiga campaign will be remembered for the exploits of striker Karim Benzema.

The marauding French international scored his 26th goal in 30 league games on Saturday, sealing Real's 4-0 home win over Espanyol that secured a record-extending 35th Spanish league title with four games to spare.

It has been a stellar season that took some time to arrive for the 34-year-old French striker, who took his place as the undisputed leader and most influential player in a team that needed a talisman after losing Cristiano Ronaldo four years ago.

Benzema became a deadly striker without losing his capacity to track back and help build moves from deeper positions.

He has scored 35 per cent of Real's 73 goals in LaLiga so far this season and also has 11 assists.

It has been a work-in-progress with Benzema getting better and better over the last three years.

Without Ronaldo, he has been Real's offensive benchmark and top scorer in all competitions with 30 goals and 11 assists in 2018-19; 27 and 11 in 2019-20; and 30 plus nine in 2020-21.

But he truly excelled this season, with a career-best 42 goals in 42 games in all competitions, more than twice as many as any other top-flight player in Spain.

In LaLiga, Benzema netted game-winning goals in 18 games and helped Real secure 43 of their 81 points by either opening the scoring or securing the wins.

He surpassed the great Alfredo Di Stefano (308) earlier this season in Real's all-time top scorers list and is three goals from leapfrogging Raul (323) in second, with Ronaldo (450) top.

LONG RIDE

In 13 seasons with Real, Benzema has won four Champions League and LaLiga titles, four Club World Cups, three European Super Cups, two Copa del Reys and four Spanish