Karim Benzema: At Real Madrid, you have to win the Champions League | OneFootball

Karim Benzema has an unbelievable 24 major club trophies to his name but, without a doubt, his most coveted pieces of silverware have to be the four Champions League titles Real Madrid won in a five-year span from 2014 to 2018.

Following a run of eight consecutive visits to at least the semi-finals, Los Blancos were stunned by Ajax in last season’s round of 16.

With an enormous last 16 tie against Manchester City beginning this Wednesday, Benzema discussed their opponents and emphasised how important the Champions League is to the club.

“City are a great team with an excellent coach. They are a skilled team and they are not afraid of passing the ball.

“It will be an even match, although our plan is to go after the win. We obviously prepare for what our opponents can do, but we’re mainly focused on our own game.

“The Champions League means a lot to us, there’s something different around it, our emotions are different,” Benzema told Uefa.

“It’s not that you don’t give your best in other competitions, but there’s something else in this one, although I don’t know what.

“Everything around it is unbelievable and we also get more pressure.

“The goal in Real Madrid is to try to win it all. Not even try, you have to win it all. You need to be lucky and be in good condition at the right time.

“We want to achieve something good both in the Champions League and in LaLiga.”

Personally, Benzema has enjoyed another impressive campaign, scoring 18 goals and assisting nine others in 33 games in all competitions this season.