Alan Shearer was stunned by Karim Benzema's "Panenka" penalty against Manchester City at the Etihad on Tuesday evening.
The Real Madrid forward, 34, chipped his spot kick over goalkeeper Ederson to reduce City's lead to 4-3 ahead of the second leg in the Spanish capital next Wednesday. It was Benzema's second goal of the game and his 14th in this season's tournament.
The Panenka - named after Antonin Panenka, the playmaker who chipped in the winning spot kick in the Euro 1976 final between Czechoslovakia and West Germany - is lauded for it's audacity. Only the bravest footballers attempt the risky technique.
Benzema was not expected to dink his spot kick after missing three penalties this month. Yet the Frenchman did it anyway. It was his 41st goal for Real this season, as he edges closer to a maiden Ballon d'Or crown and a fifth Champions League triumph.
"After missing three penalties this month... all I can do is chuckle and think, 'I cannot believe Karim Benzema has just done that,' Shearer told the BBC. "The sheer arrogance of it but also the belief and the ability to do that. He seems to be getting better and better."
Benzema, who's scored 401 goals at club level, is enjoying his most prolific season to date... and there are still several games remaining. Shearer added: "The sheer audacity! It was incredible. How many has Karim Benzema scored this season? 41 goals... staggering."
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Speaking to the press about Tuesday evening's game, Benzema said: "A defeat is never good because we are really excited about the Champions League. The most important thing is we never lay down our arms, we are all in this until the end.
"Now we have to go to the Bernabeu and we will need our fans like never before and we are going to do something magical, which is win. I always have it in my head that if you don’t take a penalty, you will never miss a penalty. That's mental confidence and that's all. I have a lot of confidence in myself... so I do it and it turns out well."
Benzema's former Real team-mate Mesut Ozil has backed him to win the Ballon d'Or after his heroics on Tuesday evening. "What a fantastic game," tweeted Ozil. "Give my boy Benzi the Ballon d'Or." Rio Ferdinand quote tweeted Ozil, adding: "Facts."
Iconic Brazilian striker Ronaldo, who's won the Ballon d'Or twice, also believes Benzema should win his maiden crown. "Karim deserves the Ballon d'Or," he told Marca. "I've been saying it for years and they've criticised me... but he deserves it, he's a great striker."
Benzema has previously admitted his desire to win the illustrious award. "Since I was little, I have had the dream of winning the Ballon d'Or, which is the dream that all footballers have," he said in October.
"It is true that the most important thing is always the team, but when you help your team to win, when you are involved in important plays and score a lot of goals, the next thing is to win the Ballon d'Or, which in my head and in my thoughts."
