Benzema set an unprecedented Ronaldo record at Real

In Real's 4-0 win on the evening of April 5, Benzema scored three goals. The French striker became the 22nd player to score a hat-trick in El Clasico matches, after Santiago Bernabeu, Luis Belaunde, Paulino Alcantara, Josep Samitier, Jaime Lazcano, Ildefonso Sanudo, Marti Ventolra, Pruden, Sabino Barinaga, Pahino, Jesus Naro, Cesar Rodriguez, Eulogio Martinez, Evaristo, Ferenc Puskas, Amancio, Gary Lineker, Romario, Ivan Zamorano, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

El Clasico has only four players on each scored two two-tricks. One of them was the Santiago Bernabeu, who later became the President of Real. The remaining three players are Jaime Lazcano, Ferenc Puskas and Lionel Messi.

Benzema is the first Real player to score a hat-trick at El Clasico since Ivan Zamorano in 1995. He is also the first Real player to do so at Barca's Camp Nou in 60 years, since Ferenc Puskas in 1963.

Three goals against Barca was just enough for Benzema to rise to fourth on the list of players with the most goals in El Clasico. Messi still leads with 26 goals. The next four positions belong to Alfredo Di Stefano with 18 goals, Cristiano Ronaldo with 18 goals, Benzema with 16 goals and Raul Gonzalez with 15 goals.

Benzema is still the second-highest goalscorer in Real's history, with 348 goals. Ronaldo leads with 450 goals, while Raul Gonzalez is third with 323 goals.

The semi-final second leg of the King's Cup on the evening of April 5 is the 254th El Clasico match at official tournaments. Real won 102 matches, lost 100 and drew 52. If including unofficial matches, Barca won 120, drew 62 and lost 106.

In the semi-final second leg of the King's Cup, Barca did not promote the advantage of winning 1-0 in the first leg. From the counterattack in the 45+1 minute, Vinicius put Real ahead. After the break, Benzema scored a hat-trick. The French striker put his heart into the far corner in the 50th minute, took a penalty in the 58th minute and shot the keeper in the 80th minute.

The 4-1 aggregate victory brought Real into the final. On May 6, Benzema and his teammates will compete for the title with Osasuna. In the remaining semi-finals, Osasuna beat Bilbao 2-1 on aggregate.

The hat-trick against Barca was Benzema's second consecutive hat-trick. In the 6-0 win over Valladolid in La Liga last weekend, the 35-year-old striker also did this.