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Champions League 40-goal club: Karim Benzema closes in on Robert Lewandowski tally

Sports Mole looks at the latest standings in the Champions League 40-goal club after Karim Benzema edged one step closer to Robert Lewandowski's tally.

Karim Benzema scored the only goal of the game as Real Madrid safely booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League yet again at the expense of Liverpool on Wednesday evening.

Protecting a 5-2 lead from the first leg, the holders rarely looked in any danger of shipping one goal - yet alone the three Liverpool required - before Benzema sealed a 6-2 aggregate triumph at the Bernabeu.

The goal was Benzema's 89th in the Champions League, leaving him just two short of Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski as the third-highest scorer in the competition's history.

Other members of the 40-goal club such as Lionel Messi, Thomas Muller, Mohamed Salah and Kylian Mbappe all drew blanks in the latest round of fixtures, but the likelihood of a new member joining in the near future was heightened by Erling Braut Haaland's historic five-goal haul, taking him up to 33 in just 25 Champions League outings overall.

Here, Sports Mole looks at the latest standings in the 40-goal club.



1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus)

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring against Villarreal in the Champions League on September 29, 2021© Reuters

Goals: 140
Appearances: 183
Ratio: 0.77



2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain)

Lionel Messi celebrates scoring for Paris Saint-Germain against Benfica on October 5, 2022© Reuters

Goals: 129
Appearances: 163
Ratio: 0.79



3. Robert Lewandowski (Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Barcelona)

Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring for Barcelona on October 12, 2022© Reuters

Goals: 91
Appearances: 111
Ratio: 0.82



4. Karim Benzema (Lyon, Real Madrid)

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema celebrates scoring against Liverpool on March 15, 2023© Reuters

Goals: 89
Appearances: 148
Ratio: 0.60



5. Raul (Real Madrid, Schalke 04)

Raul in action for Real Madrid in 2009© Reuters

Goals: 71
Appearances: 142
Ratio: 0.50



6. Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Real Madrid)

Ruud van Nistelrooy for Manchester United© Reuters

Goals: 56
Appearances: 73
Ratio: 0.77



7. Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)

Thomas Muller in action for Bayern Munich on September 30, 2022© Reuters

Goals: 53
Appearances: 140
Ratio: 0.38



8. Thierry Henry (Monaco, Arsenal, Barcelona)

Thierry Henry celebrates scoring for Arsenal against Sparta Prague in the Champions League on October 18, 2005© Reuters

Goals: 50
Appearances: 112
Ratio: 0.45



9. Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid)

Goals: 49
Appearances: 58
Ratio: 0.84



10. Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kiev, AC Milan, Chelsea)

Andriy Shevchenko pictured for AC Milan in 2006© Reuters

Goals: 48
Appearances: 100
Ratio: 0.48



11. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain)

AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates scoring their second goal on September 12, 2021© Reuters

Goals: 48
Appearances: 124
Ratio: 0.39



12. Eusebio (Benfica)

Eusebio pictured for Benfica during his playing career© Reuters

Goals: 46
Appearances: 65
Ratio: 0.71



13. Filippo Inzaghi (Juventus, AC Milan)

Filippo Inzaghi celebrates for AC Milan in 2010© Reuters

Goals: 46
Appearances: 81
Ratio: 0.57



15. Mohamed Salah (Basel, Roma, Liverpool)

Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring against Rangers on October 11, 2022© Reuters

Goals: 44
Appearances: 79
Ratio: 0.56



15. Didier Drogba (Marseille, Chelsea, Galatasaray)

Didier Drogba with the Champions League trophy in 2012.© Reuters

Goals: 44
Appearances: 92
Ratio: 0.48



16. Neymar (Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain)

Neymar celebrates scoring for Paris Saint-Germain on August 21, 2022© Reuters

Goals: 43
Appearances: 81
Ratio: 0.53



17. Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus)

Alessandro Del Piero celebrates scoring for Juventus in 1998© Reuters

Goals: 42
Appearances: 89
Ratio: 0.47



18. Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid, Manchester City)

Sergio Aguero in action for Manchester City on March 10, 2021© Reuters

Goals: 41
Appearances: 79
Ratio: 0.52



19. Kylian Mbappe (Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain)

Kylian Mbappe in action for Paris Saint-Germain on October 1, 2022© Reuters

Goals: 40
Appearances: 61
Ratio: 0.66


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