Fans were left enraged after Real Madrid's social media handle used a moniker associated with Cristiano Ronaldo to address Karim Benzema after his goal against Liverpool on 15 March.
The French striker scored in the 79th minute of his team’s second-leg UEFA Champions League last-16 clash against the Reds at the Santiago Bernabeu. His goal meant Los Blancos won the game 1-0 (6-2 aggregate) and progressed to the quarter-finals.
Benzema scored a brace in his team's 5-2 win against Liverpool in the first leg at Anfield. The 2022 Ballon d'Or winner has made it a habit to score in big Champions League games for Los Merengues.
The former Olympique Lyonnais striker scored 15 times in 12 Champions League games as his team won the trophy last season. He has netted thrice this term and has provided one assist in six European games so far.
After his goal against Liverpool, Real Madrid's Twitter account seemingly called him 'Mr. Champions League'. This is, of course, a nickname that has been closely associated with Cristiano Ronaldo over the years due to his dominance in the competition.
Here are some of the best reactions from fans to Los Blancos' tweet:
Both Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo have won five UEFA Champions League titles - four of them together during their time at Real Madrid as teammates until 2018. The former's fifth win came last season, while the latter's first Champions League triumph dates back to the 2007-08 season with Manchester United.
An overview of Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo's Champions League records
Cristiano Ronaldo holds a number of UEFA Champions League records to his name. Among them, the most impressive would be his record for most appearances and most goals in the competition.
The Portuguese forward has played 183 times in the Champions League, 35 more than Benzema's tally. The former also holds the record for most goals in the tournament with 140 strikes to his name.
![Real Madrid face Chelsea in the UCL QFs this season.](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/03/a4ea2-16792140757749-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/03/a4ea2-16792140757749-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/03/a4ea2-16792140757749-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/03/a4ea2-16792140757749-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/03/a4ea2-16792140757749-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/03/a4ea2-16792140757749-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/03/a4ea2-16792140757749-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/03/a4ea2-16792140757749-1920.jpg 1920w)
Benzema is fourth on that list with 89 goals. Cristiano Ronaldo also holds the top three positions on the list of the most goals scored in a Champions League season (17, 16 and 15). He also has eight hat tricks in the competition - twice the amount Benzema has.
Both players will go down as two of the finest players to grace the Champions League. However, going by Ronaldo's success in the competition for the last 19 seasons, it is fair if fans associate the 'Mr. Champions League' moniker with him.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is currently playing in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr. Benzema, meanwhile, could win a record sixth Champions League trophy this season.