Karim Benzema hat-trick leaves Chelsea with mountain to climb as Real Madrid claim first leg spoils

Karim Benzema scored his second hat-trick in as many Champions League games as Real Madrid beat holders Chelsea 3-1 in their quarter-final first leg at Stamford Bridge.

The prolific striker moved his competition goal return to 13 in just seven matches as Madrid 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 a major chance of making the semi-finals in their bid to land a 14th Champions League title.

Kai Havertz dragged Chelsea back into the contest from nowhere before half-time, but the luckless Edouard Mendy gifted Benzema his hat-trick goal with an undersold 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.

The west Londoners will head out for the return leg on Tuesday, where a generational showing could well be required to keep their title defence alive.

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

The Italian coach almost did not make it to his old Stamford Bridge stomping ground due to Covid, but returned a negative test in time to link up with his players on the morning of the match.

FULL MATCH DETAILS

Benzema's three-minute, one-two punch left Chelsea flailing on the canvas.

The France striker must have thought the Blues were out for the count after delivering two thumping headers.

First he nodded home by racing onto Vinicius' cross, then the Real talisman showed the other side of his aerial prowess, hanging in the air to dispatch Modric's delivery.

A dazed Chelsea found themselves staggering around the