SPORTS
Benzema set to beat a host of records in 2022
Baku, December 23, AZERTAC
Karim Benzema's two goals in Real Madrid's 2-1 win over Athletic Club on Wednesday night were just the latest episodes in the Frenchman's fantastic season so far, according to Marca.
The brace took the 34-year-old to a 20-goal tally already this term, and we're not even in 2022 yet.
It means he is well on the way to another 30-goal campaign, something he has achieved in two of the last three seasons.
And he is also on the cusp of a momentous mark with Real Madrid - 300 goals.
At 299 strikes currently, Benzema will surely overtake Alfredo Di Stefano next year as the third-highest goalscorer in the club's history, with Di Stefano on 308.
He is also likely to surpass Raul Gonzalez, who notched 323 times for Los Blancos.
Indeed, Cristiano Ronaldo's tally of 451 is probably the only one he might struggle to reach.
In terms of LaLiga Santander goals only, it's a similar story with Benzema (207) closing in on both Di Stefano (216) and Raul (228).
Ronaldo is once again far out in front with 312.
It's instructive to witness the speed at which Benzema has accumulated his goals, as it shows how he has matured as his career has gone on.
It took him five years and five months to reach his first 100 goals, four years and 10 months for his second hundred, and now just over three years to get within one goal of 300.
Spanish records aren't the only ones that will go in the coming months, with Benzema's total career goals of 401 putting him just 10 short of Thierry Henry's landmark of 411.
They are currently the only two French players to ever cross the 400-goal barrier.
Benzema has been scoring at an incredibly fast rate this term.
He has taken three months fewer to reach the 20-goal mark compared to last season, when he only achieved the figure on March 13.
