Holders Chelsea crushed by Karim Benzema's hat-trick in Champions League rout

Karim Benzema bullied Chelsea to the brink of relinquishing their Champions League crown with a stunning hat-trick in Real Madrid’s 3-1 triumph at Stamford Bridge.

The prolific striker moved his competition return to 13 in just seven matches as Real overwhelmed the Blues in Wednesday’s quarter-final first-leg.

Benzema took his season’s tally to 37 goals in 36 matches for Real, handing his side an outstanding opportunity to reach the semi-finals in their bid to land a 14th Champions League title.

Hat-trick hero Benzema said afterwards: "They're magic nights, like the other day at the Bernabeu against Paris. Today we came out to win, to show we're Real Madrid. Things worked out well for us as we played well, from the first minute to the last.

"They're very important goals. I'm happiest to have scored the third as I missed one in the first half and I was thinking about that chance because it's very important to score goals. Then I got another and I’m very happy."

The 34-year-old stalked the beleaguered Andreas Christensen as he scored twice in the first-half.

Kai Havertz dragged Chelsea back into the contest from nowhere before the break, but the luckless Edouard Mendy gifted Benzema his hat-trick goal with an under hit pass.

Chelsea will now need a performance to trump perhaps all others from Thomas Tuchel’s highly-decorated reign to overturn this deficit in Madrid’s intimidating Bernabeu Stadium next week.

Madrid, meanwhile, will head home in total control of this tie, with former Chelsea manager and figurehead Carlo Ancelotti particularly buoyed.

Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel during the match. AFP

The Italian coach almost did not make it to his old Stamford Bridge stomping ground due to Covid, but returned a negative test