Karim Benzema: the king of Madrid... and Europe?

Real Madrid are currently top of La Liga in front of their city rivals and champions Atletico Madrid, after a superb start that has seen them win five of their six games this season. 

Last night, Los Blancos hosted Mallorca in the newly-renovated Santiago Bernabeu and thrashed their opponents 6-1 courtesy of a Marco Asensio hat-trick, an Isco strike and - perhaps most impressively - a double from their 33-year-old French striker, who looks to be improving season on season.

Benzema scored a double, but also assisted another two in Madrid's win - meaning he has been involved in 15 goals so far this season in La Liga.  

Since the departure of his former strike partner Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018, Benzema has taken more of an important role in Los Blancos' squad, finishing second top goal scorer to Lionel Messi on three occasions.

With Messi out of the equation, Real Madrid's main man now has a huge chance to win his first Pichichi (the trophy given to La Liga's top goal scorer), and currently sits top of the goal AND assists charts in the Spanish top flight this season.

Across Uefa's 'top 5' leagues, the French striker is also top of the goal charts, above Bundesliga freaks Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski, while for assists he is level with fellow countryman Paul Pogba, meaning Benzema has the most goal involvements in Europe.

In 2021 overall, he levelled last night with current Ballon D'Or winner Lewandowski, for most goal involvements in Uefa's 'Top 5' leagues throughout the entire calendar year: with 23 goals and 11 assists.

With La Liga suffering several setbacks in recent years, losing some of their best players to other leagues, Benzema is defying the trend to show his quality and rack up some seriously impressive stats.

🥇 Most productive players in 2021 (#UEFA's 'Top 5' leagues):

34⚽️: 👑BENZEMA👑(23/11)*, Lewandowski (31/3)
31⚽️: Messi (23/8), Haaland (24/7)
25⚽️: Lukaku (16/9), Mbappé (19/6)
24⚽️: Silva (20/4)

* (goals/assists)#RealMadrid pic.twitter.com/XsX7qEfP8E

— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) September 23, 2021