Karim Benzema hat-trick at Barcelona matches feat achieved only by Real Madrid icon

Karim Benzema became only the second Real Madrid player in history to score a hat-trick at the Camp Nou as they demolished Barcelona 4-0, Report informs via Daily Star.

The 35-year-old put their El Clasico rivals to the sword in the second half of the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final. After Vinicius Junior had opened the scoring before the break, he bagged two early goals following the restart including one from the spot.

Benzema then completed his treble with 10 minutes to go, matching a feat achieved by just one other player - Real icon Ferenc Puskas, who did so in 1963.

Scoring a hat-trick at Barca's home ground is so difficult in general that Benzema is only the eleventh player in history to have done, according to Spanish broadcaster MisterChip.

The previous most recent was Kylian Mbappe's in 2021 when PSG beat the Catalan giants 4-1 away in the Champions League.