“The best No. 9 of our generation” – Mesut Ozil salutes Real Madrid superstar Karim Benzema after hat-trick in 4-0 El Clasico win

Mesut Ozil hailed Karim Benzema after his masterful display in Real Madrid's 4-0 (4-1 aggregate) thrashing of Barcelona in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals on Wednesday (April 5).

True to his reputation, the Frenchman rose to the occasion once again in a high-profile game when his team needed him the most. He scored a hat-trick against the Blaugrana to help his team overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit and reach the final.

After a lethal counterattack, Benzema assisted Vinicius Junior's first-half stoppage-time goal to open the scoring for Los Blancos. A 58th-minute penalty goal sandwiched between two first-time finishes from inside the box comprised a brilliant second-half hat-trick from the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner.

While the game was going on at the Camp Nou, Ozil, who played with Benzema at Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013, tweeted:

"THE KING 👑👑👑 My Boy Benzi! The best No 9 of our generation 🔥🐐 #HalaMadrid @Benzema @realmadrid"

The duo of Ozil and Benzema recorded 19 goal participations in 118 games during their three seasons together at the Santiago Bernabeu. While the former Arsenal playmaker (34) announced his retirement last month, Benzema (35) is still going strong.

The Frenchman has scored 25 goals and provided six assists in 31 games across competitions this term despite suffering from fitness issues in recent months. The four-time Ligue 1 winner is regarded by many, including Ozil, as one of the best No. 9s of this generation.

Benzema has won every major trophy in club football, including five UEFA Champions League titles, with the Spanish giants. However, the Real Madrid captain's future at the club is uncertain, with his current deal expiring in the summer.

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Real Madrid set up Copa del Rey final with Osasuna after El Clasico win

Real Madrid racked up a much-needed win against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semifinals (second leg) after losing the last three El Clasicos across competitions.

The 4-1 aggregate win means Los Blancos will play Osasuna in the final of the competition on May 6 at the Estadio La Cartuja. Los Rojillos beat Athletic Club 2-1 on aggregate in the other semifinal.

This will be Osasuna's second appearance in the final since their inception in 1920. They finished runners-up in the 2004-05 season, losing 2-1 to Real Betis in the final.

Meanwhile, this will be the 40th time Real Madrid will be one game away from lifting the trophy. They have won 19 of those finals, with only Barcelona (31) and Athletic Club (23) above them on the winners' list.