Karim Benzema's career-best season continues to deliver new highs, and the Frenchman demonstrated his Ballon d'Or credentials once more by capping a comeback win for Real Madrid at Sevilla.
The 34-year-old is enjoying the best season of his life in goalscoring terms, and is one goal away from hitting 40 goals in all competitions for the first time.
His tally includes hat-tricks in successive Champions League games, while he also scored the extra-time winner which took Real Madrid into the semi-finals of the Champions League.
With Lionel Messi in the midst of an underwhelming season in Paris and Cristiano Ronaldo set to end the season empty-handed, we could be in line for a new Ballon d'Or winner. Benzema is surely in the mix, and his heroics on Sunday only serve to strengthen that claim.
Going into Sunday's game, Sevilla were unbeaten at home in La Liga with 11 wins and four draws from their 15 games. They looked set to extend that run when Ivan Rakitic and Erik Lamela put them two goals to the good at half-time, only for Carlo Ancelotti's side to mount a dramatic comeback.
Rodrygo gave the visitors hope early in the second period, and Nacho drew them level inside the last 10 minutes. And then, more than a minute into time added on, Benzema was the calmest man in the stadium as he collected a Rodrygo cutback before taking a couple of touches to set himself and firing past goalkeeper Bono.
It was Benzema's 25th league goal of the season - 10 more than any other player in La Liga - and 39th overall. Before this season, he had never scored more than 24 in a single league campaign.
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"The first half performance was the coach's fault and the second half was down to the players' quality," Real Madrid manager Ancelotti said. "Nothing surprises me about this team.
"I'm very proud of this second-half performance. I must thank all the players for that"
With six games left, Real Madrid are 15 points clear at the top, though nearest challengers Barcelona have two games in hand. Still, 10 points from the remaining fixtures is the maximum required for Los Blancos to reclaim the title after losing out to Atletico Madrid last term.
Benzema remains in the mix for the Ballon d'Or, though the destination of the Champions League trophy could be a factor. Fellow front-runner Mohamed Salah could yet beat him to the punch if he leads Liverpool to European glory, with voting for the individual award taking place before the winter World Cup.
Former Real Madrid and Brazil striker Ronaldo is among those to make the case for Benzema, who already has 12 goals in this season's Champions League. “Karim deserves the Ballon d'Or, I've been saying it for years and they've criticized me... but he deserves it, he's a great striker,” the World Cup winner said.
