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Goal after goal, Karim Benzema keeps putting his World Cup disappointment behind him. Benzema scored for the sixth time after being dropped from France’s World Cup squad because of an injury, leading Real Madrid to a 2-0 win at Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish league on Sunday. “He came back with the same quality,” Madrid coach Carlos Ancelotti said. “He helps us a lot in attack.” The goal allowed Benzema to join former Madrid great Raúl with 228 league goals with the club — second to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 311. It also helped Madrid get back within three points of league leader Barcelona, which earlier Sunday had defeated Getafe 1-0 at the Camp Nou. Read more: Benzema posts tweet indicating international retirement Toni Kroos sealed the victory for Madrid with a low shot from outside the area in the 90th. Benzema’s sixth goal in six matches since the World Cup came with a left-footed volley from inside the area in the 24th minute at San Mames Stadium. “It’s incredible. Karim has been spectacular,” Madrid defender Nacho said. “He continues to help us with his goals, just like he did last season.” Benzema won the men's Ballon d’Or award after a great season and had high expectations heading into the World Cup, but he was dropped from France's squad because of a thigh injury sustained in training just days before the team’s debut. The only game in which he had not scored after the World Cup was in Madrid's 3-2 come-from-behind win at Villarreal in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey on Thursday. Eighth-place Athletic had advanced past Espanyol in the Copa but remains winless in three consecutive league games. It lost the Basque Country derby to Real Sociedad in the previous round. Madrid had not won a league game since December. BARCELONA'S WINS ANOTHER Barcelona defeated relegation-threatened Getafe to extend its winning streak to three matches in all competitions. Pedri scored a first-half winner for the Catalan club, which has won four of its last five matches, with its only setback a draw against Real Betis in the semifinals of the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, where it advanced in a penalty shootout before eventually winning the title in a final against Madrid. “We didn't play well but it was an important victory," Barcelona coach Xavi said. Getafe players did the guard of honor before the match at the Camp Nou because of Barcelona's Super Cup title. Captain Sergio Busquets also was honored for having surpassed 700 appearances with the Catalan club. Barcelona defeated Getafe despite playing without suspended striker Robert Lewandowski, the league’s leading scorer. The Poland player was serving the second of a three-game suspension for disrespecting a referee in a league game last year. Forward Ferran Torres also wasn't available for Barcelona coach Xavi because of a red-card suspension. Pedri scored the winning goal from close range after an assist from Raphinha in the 35th minute. Getafe has lost four in a row, including three consecutive in the league. The Madrid club has only four league victories and sits in 16th place, just outside the relegation zone. Read more: Brilliant Benzema and His Road to Ballon d’Or Glory LATE PENALTIES FOR VILLARREAL Villarreal converted one penalty kick and missed another in stoppage time in a 1-0 home win over Girona. Striker Gerard Moreno had his spot kick saved four minutes into added time, but playmaker Dani Parejo converted his attempt in the final play of the game in the 111th minute. The late win left Villarreal in fifth place, tied on points with fourth-place Atletico Madrid, which holds the final qualification spot for the Champions League. Mid-table Girona played a man down from the 78th as defender Santiago Bueno was sent off with a second yellow card. Villarreal was coming off a 3-2 home loss against Real Madrid in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey, when it squandered a two-goal first-half lead. It had beaten Madrid 2-1 two rounds ago in the league, then drew 1-1 at Celta Vigo. Last-place Elche drew 1-1 with seventh-place Osasuna at home to remain the only team yet to win after 18 Spanish league games this season.

Karim Benzema proudly showed his Ballon d’Or award to fans at the Santiago Bernabéu and then sat back as Real Madrid beat Sevilla 3-1 and increased its lead of the Spanish league on Saturday. Benzema was ruled out of the match when the club said he had muscle fatigue. It appears that the striker, who won soccer’s prestigious individual prize on Monday, is being extra cautious to avoid the risk of any injury that might jeopardize his participation with France at the World Cup in Qatar starting in less than a month. Vinícius Júnior set up two goals for Madrid as the Brazil winger continues to excel both with, and without, Benzema playing by his side. Madrid extended its unbeaten streak to 16 games since starting the season across all competitions and increased its lead at the top to six points over Barcelona, which plays Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. Luka Modric and former Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, both former Ballon d’Or winners, handed Benzema his award in a ceremony before kickoff. The Madrid striker hoisted it high to receive the applause of fans, who turned out for the celebration and the match amid steady rain in Spain’s capital. Modric then proceeded to ensure that Madrid did not miss Benzema’s goals, scoring from an assist by Vinícius to give Madrid the lead five minutes into the game. Vinícius pounced on a poor pass by Gonzalo Montiel near Sevilla’s own area, took on the backtracking defenders, and found Modric all alone at the far post to tap in. While Vinícius squandered an opportunity to add to the lead in the 44th — when he tried to round goalkeeper Yassine Bounou instead of shooting from point-blank range — Sevilla was toothless with midfielder Isco Alarcón up front as a “false nine.” Sevilla had its share of possession but had no strikers in the box to feed. In the 45th Jesús Navas drew the first save from Thibaut Courtois, who was back after missing six matches due to sciatic pain. Jorge Sampaoli’s plan, however, started to click in the second half when Sevilla’s greater number of midfielders, including Óliver Torres and Ivan Rakitic, and playmakers like Isco took control for half an hour. Montiel made up for his mistake by gaining possession and using the exterior of his boot to slip a ball through Madrid’s well-positioned defensive line to meet Erik Lamela's nice run. Lamela also showed his skill by sending a ball around Courtois from a tight angle with the tip of his boot to equalize in the 54th. Isco then hit the side netting and Montiel set up Lamela for him to curl a ball just wide in the 60th. But Carlo Ancelotti sent on fresh legs in attack and a counterattack cued by substitute Marco Asensio led to Vinícius drawing in Bounou before he laid off for substitute Luas Vázquez to fire into an empty net in the 79th. “Today I want to highlight the work of Vinícius,” Ancelotti said. “He gave two assists for teammates to score practically in empty nets. He should be pleased. Those assists are worth more than scoring goals. He showed a lot of generosity.” Federico Valverde added a blistering third goal from long range two minutes later to put the result beyond doubt with the midfielder's seventh goal in all competitions this campaign. His powerful shot sailed over Bounou and hit the net just inside the top of the post. It was the first loss for Sevilla in four games since Sampaoli replaced the fired Julen Lopetegui. Sevilla fell into 14th place. “We played against a rival that makes you pay for even the smallest error," Lamela said. "We had a stretch when we played well, but it wasn't enough. We are still adapting to a new coach, to adjust to his new ideas, and we need time.” END OF THE RUN Real Sociedad missed a chance to pull level with Barcelona on points after its eight-game unbeaten streak across all competitions came to an end in Valladolid. Sergio León’s goal in the 16th and some staunch defending under heavy rain at the José Zorrilla Stadium gave Valladolid the 1-0 victory. MALLORCA RALLY Mallorca fought back 2-1 at Valencia after Edinson Cavani had put the hosts ahead with a penalty for his fourth goal in three games. Vedat Muriqi, who had missed two matches serving a suspension, scored his fifth goal of the campaign when he equalized from the spot. Former Valencia forward Lee Kang-In completed the comeback in the 83rd. RAYO ROUT Rayo Vallecano central defender Florian Lejeune scored twice to lead its 5-1 rout of 10-man Cádiz, with all five goals coming after Iza Carcelen was sent off with a direct red near the end of the first half.

French forward Karim Benzema joined Real Madrid's second galactico after being acquired from Ligue 1 club Lyon for 30 million pounds in 2009. He had to play second fiddle to Cristiano Ronaldo in his early years. No one could have predicted that one day Benzema would take home football’s most prestigious award before Cristiano left Madrid in 2018. Since Ronaldo left, the gifted striker has taken on the role as the main hitman. He had a crucial role in Madrid's success the previous season, which helped him win the Ballon d'Or 2022 award. How Benzema has transformed himself into a top striker upfront In football, clutch players often get high value, and not every world-class footballer has the ability to deliver when it matters the most. That is why only a handful of them are considered clutch players. Read: Karim Benzema wins Ballon d’Or for the first time Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema has turned out to be a decisive player when Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Italian giants, Juventus, in the summer of 2018. Before that, Benzema’s role was largely to support Cristiano in the attacking half. He even had stiff competition with Gonzalo Higuian in the initial few seasons and later with Gareth Bale in Madrid. Real Madrid initially struggled to cope without Ronaldo, who helped the Spanish giant win three consecutive Champions Leagues from 2016 to 2018. In the 2018-2019 season, the Los Blancos finished third. Real Madrid soon returned with their best and were crowned La Liga champions in the 2019-2020 season and had strong performances in the 2020-2021 campaign. At the same time, Karim Benzema has continued to shine as a forward, finishing as the top goal scorer for Madrid in each season since Cristiano’s departure, which has also impacted hugely on his growth as a leader. Taking the main role of scoring goals, Karim initially had to adjust his position upfront and to make a strong connection with other forwards, the likes of Lucas Vazquez and young Vincius Junior and Rodrygo. The French forward soon started to realize that he is Madrid’s main reliance and has to take his game to the next level to become one of the most lethal strikers in the world. Benzema’s contribution as a clutch player in Real Madrid’s dream run in the 2021–2022 Champions League When Real Madrid started their 2021–2022 campaign with a newly recruited experienced manager, Carlo Ancelotti, and with an aged squad, the odds didn’t favour them to win La Liga, let alone the Champions League. Atletico Madrid were considered the ultimate favourites to win the domestic title, while a host of European giants were ahead of Real Madrid to clinch the UCL tournament. Read: Neymar faces fraud trial for Barcelona transfer from Santos However, after finding a new vice captaincy role in the 2021-2022 season, Benzema seemed to rejuvenate even more from the beginning. Head coach Ancelotti should be applauded for his role in injecting motivation into the players and giving them continuous faith when needed. Karim Benzema was the major receiver of Ancelotti’s motivation and became a clutch player for the team. He continued to find the net in the dying moments of the domestic tournaments. But Karim's efforts in the UEFA Champions League's knockout rounds were what had even his harshest critics gushing with adoration. Karim Benzema wreaked havoc on some of Europe's best teams and snatched victory in the dying moments. The positioning of Benzema in the centre, Vinicius Jr. to the left, Rodrygo or Federico Valverde to the right, and Luka Modric and Toni Kroos in the middle behind them worked out perfectly for the team. Most of the time, Real Madrid were down and out, but in games where Benzema was the difference, they rallied to win them in the final 30 minutes. In the round of 16, PSG was favourite to advance to the quarter-final after winning the first leg over Real Madrid 1-0 at the Parc des Princes and was even 1-0 up in the second leg until the 60th minute of the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu. But Paris Saint-Germain’s expectations were dashed when Benzema ran riot on PSG’s defense and earned a hat-trick within 18 minutes. PSG supporters were stunned and in disbelief at what they had just witnessed. Karim Benzema was devastating against Chelsea in both legs of the quarter-final. He scored a brilliant hat-trick at Stamford Bridge and also scored the decisive goal in extra time to send Real Madrid into the semifinals. In Real Madrid's semi-final match against Manchester City, the French forward was even more important, and he delivered. He scored twice in Real Madrid’s loss to Man City by 4-3 in the first leg and also scored the decisive goal in extra time in the second leg at the Bernabeu. Karim Benzema was all but certain to win the 2022 Ballon d'Or trophy after his efforts against PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City in the Round of 16, Quarterfinal, and Semifinal. Read: Maradona's 'Hand of God' ball expected to rake in $2.7m-$3.3m at auction Karim Benzema’s football stats in the 2021–2022 season Karim Benzema scored 44 goals in 46 appearances for Real Madrid in the 2021–2022 season, including 15 in 12 outings in the Champions League. He helped Madrid win La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. Apart from his performances with the Spanish club, Benzema was brilliant for his national side. Karim scored 9 goals in 13 appearances for the French national team in 2021 and helped them to win the 2020–2021 UEFA Nations League. Bottom Line Karim Benzema's dream of winning the Ballon d'Or came true on Monday when Zinedine Zidane handed him the trophy. Zizou, who won the prestigious prize in 1998, was the last Frenchman to win it before yesterday. Karim Benzema therefore became the fifth Frenchman to receive the Ballon d'Or trophy, and he was undoubtedly a deserving winner. Read: Mbappe transfer: Possible destinations if he leaves in Jan 2023

It was not the return to action that Karim Benzema had hoped for. Back in Real Madrid's squad after a long injury layoff, the France striker missed a second-half penalty kick that helped to end the team's perfect start to the season. Madrid’s streak of nine straight victories in all competitions was halted after a 1-1 home draw against 10-man Osasuna in the Spanish league on Sunday. The result also cost Madrid the league lead, as it was surpassed by Barcelona following its 1-0 win at Mallorca on Saturday. Both teams are tied on 19 points but the Catalan club is ahead on goal difference. Benzema, who had missed three straight matches because of a right leg injury sustained before the international break, had a chance to give Madrid the lead in the 79th minute, but his shot from the spot was saved by Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera. It was the third straight penalty miss by Benzema against the Osasuna goalkeeper. He had two penalties saved by Herrera in April when Madrid won. And things were clearly not going Benzema's way as shortly after the striker had a goal disallowed for offside. “We needed Benzema to convert the penalty,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “He usually does. It was an accident that sometimes happens.” Vinícius Júnior had opened the scoring in the 42nd after finding the far corner with what appeared to be a cross attempt into the area, but the visitors equalized with a header by Kike García in the 50th. Osasuna went a man down when David García was sent off for the foul on Benzema that prompted the penalty. It was Osasuna's first draw after four wins and two losses this season, keeping the Pamplona club in sixth place. It got the point at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium despite playing without the suspended Chimy Ávila, one of its best players. Ancelotti was without veteran midfielder Luka Modric and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois because of injuries. A minute of silence was held before every Spanish league match in honor of victims of the tragedy at a soccer stadium in Indonesia on Saturday night. VALENCIA RALLIES A goalkeeper's mistake six minutes into second-half stoppage-time allowed Valencia to pull off a 2-2 draw at Espanyol. Espanyol goalkeeper Álvaro Fernández thought a high shot by Eray Comert toward the goal was going wide and let the ball go, but it ended in the net for the visitors’ equalizer. Fernández dropped to the ground in despair and later put his hands together over his head with a plea for forgiveness from home fans. Espanyol was looking for its first home win of the season. It is winless at its stadium in seven straight matches, going back to last season. The hosts had taken the lead with Sergi Darder's goal in the 83rd after Gabriel Paulista opened the scoring in the 53rd and Joselu equalized for Valencia in the 56th. Valencia, which stayed midtable, played with 10 men after Marcos André was sent off in the 85th. Espanyol, sitting near the relegation zone, had Martin Braithwaite red carded early in stoppage time. SOCIEDAD’S GOALFEST Real Sociedad picked up its second straight league win by beating Girona 5-3. Alexander Sorloth scored twice and Takefusa Kubo added one of the other goals for Sociedad, which moved to seventh place. Taty Castellanos was among the scorers for midtable Girona, which has lost two in a row. BETIS FALLS Real Betis couldn’t overcome a first-half red card and lost 1-0 at Celta Vigo for its second league defeat of the season. Gabri Veiga scored a ninth-minute winner for midtable Celta, which was without coach Eduardo Coudet because of a trip back home to Argentina for personal reasons. Betis lost Luiz Felipe in the 20th with a straight red card. Manuel Pellegrini’s team remained near the top of the standings, as it was coming off five wins and a single defeat.

With a defender moving in front of him and blocking his view inside the area, Robert Lewandowski stayed calm. The veteran striker patiently waited for a gap, then quickly used his backheel to gently send the ball into the far corner for a beautiful goal. Lewandowski continues to make scoring look easy after joining Barcelona from Bayern Munich. Barcelona's top signing this season found the net twice on Sunday to lead the Catalan club to a 4-0 rout of Valladolid in the Spanish league. Real Madrid relied on Karim Benzema, its trustworthy striker for years, to maintain a perfect start with its third straight away victory. Benzema scored in the 88th minute and deep into stoppage time to give the defending champion a 3-1 win at Espanyol. It was the third league goal for Benzema, while Lewandowski took his tally to four. The Poland striker had also scored a double in the 4-1 victory at Real Sociedad last weekend. He was also twice denied by the woodwork at the Camp Nou on Sunday. “He is extraordinary," Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández said of Lewandowski. "He is a natural leader who has been helping us greatly.” Pedri González and Sergi Roberto also scored for Barcelona, which had opened with a disappointing 0-0 draw against Rayo Vallecano at home. The 34-year-old Lewandowski, signed from Bayern for nearly $50 million, got on the board in the 24th by completing a nice pass by Raphinha, another one of Barcelona new signings who has been playing well. Pedri added to the lead in the 43rd from near the penalty spot after an assist by Ousmane Dembélé, who also set up Lewandowski's superb backheel goal in the 64th. Roberto closed the scoring in stoppage time. “We knew what kind of player we had signed,” newly signed Barcelona defender Jules Koundé said of Lewandowski. “He is a top striker and he shows it with his goals and with how he helps the team.” Barcelona finally could count on Koundé, who had not been registered ahead of the first two rounds because the club wasn't able to abide with the league’s fair play regulations. The former Sevilla defender started in the right back position and impressed in his debut. Valladolid, owned by former Brazil and Barcelona great Ronaldo, is back in the first division after a one-year absence. It was coming off a home loss against Villarreal and a draw at Sevilla. Read:PSG drops points after 1-1 draw with Monaco; Marseille wins MADRID STAYS PERFECT Madrid was a few minutes away from losing its perfect record when Benzema came through with two late goals against Espanyol. Madrid was far from its best but Benzema helped to salvage the win with a nice close-range touch to complete a well-placed cross by Rodrygo. Benzema than easily converted a free kick after Espanyol defender Leandro Cabrera had to play in goal because goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte was sent off and all substitutions had been made. Vinícius Júnior had put Madrid ahead in the 12th and Joselu equalized for the hosts in the 43rd. It was the third match in a row on the road for Madrid, which asked to start away from home because of renovation work at its Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. The team will be back at the venue for its match against Real Betis on Saturday. Madrid beat Almería and Celta Vigo in its first two games. Espanyol stayed winless after having drawn at Celta before losing to Rayo Vallecano at home. VILLARREAL HELD Villarreal ended its perfect record with a 0-0 draw at Getafe, which was yet to win a point this season. Unai Emery's Villarreal had most of the scoring chances. A penalty kick in its favor deep into stoppage time was reversed after video review. Getafe had conceded three goals in each of its first two matches. Cádiz was the only other team without a point entering the weekend. It will have a chance to end its losing streak when it hosts unbeaten Athletic Bilbao on Monday. FAN VIOLENCE Police had to intervene after a confrontation between fans of second division clubs Racing Santander and Oviedo on Sunday. Authorities said the fans threw rocks and other objects at each other. There were no reports of injuries or arrests. Oviedo won the match 1-0 in Santander.

The 30-man shortlist for the French Football magazine’s yearly award, the Ballon d'Or, was revealed on August 12 (Friday). For the very first time, the award will be given based on the results of the previous season, not the year. Therefore, this year’s main event will be held on October 17 at the Théâtre du Chatelet. Argentina’s Lionel Messi wasn’t included among the nominees for the first time since 2005. France’s Karim Benzema is the early favoruite to win this year's award. Besides, some of the players from the shortlist are nominated for the award for the first time. Let's look at the Ballon d'Or 2022 predictions. Potential candidates to win the 2022 Ballon d’Or award Some footballers deserve to be included among the top three lists for the gala event because of their outstanding 2021–2022 European club football seasons. Here are the top 10 players that have a chance to take home the prestigious award. 10) Son Heung-min (South Korea & Tottenham Hotspur) Notable achievements in 2021-2022 season:  Premier League Golden Boot (personal) Son Heung-min became the first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot award in the 2021–2022 season with 23 goals. He was one of the top performers in European club football last season. Son netted 30 goals and assisted 10, helping Tottenham to finish in the top four in the points table. Read FIFA suspends India's football body over 'third party influence' 9) Trent Alexander-Arnold (England & Liverpool) Notable achievements in 2021-2022 season: FA Cup, EFL Cup, FA Community Shield, Champions League (Runner-Up) Trent Alexander-Arnold might not be one of the top fullbacks in Europe in terms of defensive prowess. However, going forward, he is one of the best in the world, as evidenced by his 22 assists last season. 8) Thibaut Courtois (Belgium & Real Madrid) Notable achievements in 2021-2022 season:  La Liga, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Supercopa de Espana Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had a fantastic 2021-2022 season with Real Madrid. Courtois made a total of 23 clean sheets and his brilliant performance in the UCL final helped Madrid win their 14th Champions League trophy. 7)  Luka Modric (Croatia & Real Madrid) Notable achievements in 2021-2022 season:  La Liga, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Supercopa de Espana At 36, Luka Modric has proved that he is still capable of producing magical performances when needed. Modric had some brilliant moments with Real Madrid last season, especially in the Champions League. Apart from scoring 7 goals, the sensational midfielder also made 14 assists. Read Barcelona sells more assets as it hopes to register players 6) Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium & Manchester City) Notable achievements in 2021-2022 season:  Premier League Attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne had another stellar season with Manchester City. He netted 21 goals and assisted 18 times last season, which helped the Citizens to win the Premier League title for the fourth time in five years. 5) Vinicius Junior (Brazil & Real Madrid) Notable achievements in 2021-2022 season:  La Liga, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Supercopa de Espana The Brazilian wunderkind Vinicius Junior was one of the key members of Real Madrid’s fruitful 2021–2022 season. He has shown magnificent bondage with Karim Benzema upfront, which ultimately helped the Los Blancos to win the UCL trophy. Vinicius scored 22 goals apart from assisting 19 times. 4) Robert Lewandowski (Poland, Bayern Munich & Barcelona) Notable achievements in 2021-2022 season:  Bundesliga, European Golden Boot (personal) The Polish goal machine, Robert Lewandowski, had another magnificent season with Bayern Munich. He scored 57 times in the 2021–2022 season for the Bavarians. Lewandowski can finish in the top three since the Ballon d’Or is an individual award. Read Benzema, Courtois, De Bruyne on shortlist for UEFA award 3) Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool) Notable achievements in 2021-2022 season:  FA Cup, EFL Cup, FA Community Shield, Champions League (Runner-Up), Premier League Golden Boot (personal) Liverpool’s main hitman, Egyptian Mohamed Salah, found the net 33 times and made 19 assists as well last season. Salah was one of the main reasons Liverpool reached three finals and finished second in the Premier League. 2) Sadio Mane (Senegal, Liverpool & Bayern Munich) Notable achievements in 2021-2022 season:  FA Cup, EFL Cup, DFL-Supercup, Champions League (Runner-Up) Sadio Mane was simply incredible during the 2021-2022 season. He smashed 33 goals and assisted five times for Liverpool, helping his team to win the FA Cup and EFL Cup. Mane is the early favourite to finish in the top three on the list. 1) Karim Benzema (France & Real Madrid) Notable achievements in 2021-2022 season:  La Liga, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Supercopa de Espana, Pichichi Trophy (personal), UCL player of the season (personal), UCL top goal scorer (personal) Almost everyone is of the opinion that Karim Benzema will win the Ballon d'Or 2022 award after a stellar campaign with Real Madrid. He has been Madrid's go-to player for the past two years, scoring goals when his club most needed them. The Frenchman contributed 15 assists along with 48 goals scored for Real Madrid last season. Karim also won the UEFA Nations League (2020–21). Read Rights group urges FIFA, Qatar to compensate WCup workers Verdict The majority of football experts and journalists think that French forward Karim Benzema of Real Madrid will win this year's Ballon d'Or 2022 award because of how he played in the 2021–202 season. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are the heavy favorites to place in the top three since Liverpool finished as the runners-up in the Champions League last year. Besides that, Vinicius Junior and Robert Lewandowski are the other two contenders who have a good chance of making the top three list. 

Two Real Madrid teammates made the three-man shortlist announced Friday for the UEFA player of the year award for last season, while no Liverpool player was included. Champions League winner Madrid was represented by Karim Benzema, who scored a competition-best 15 goals, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who was the standout in its 1-0 win over Liverpool in the final. Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who plays with Courtois for Belgium, completed the list after a vote by coaches and selected journalists. Read: Madrid wins again despite Benzema's missed penalty kicks In the award for coaches, Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti is on the shortlist with Jürgen Klopp of Liverpool and Man City’s Pep Guardiola. The winners will be announced Aug. 25 in Istanbul at the draw for the group stage of this season's Champions League. None of the player nominees has previously won the UEFA award, which was first given in 2011 to Lionel Messi. Last year’s winner was Jorginho after he helped Italy and Chelsea to European titles. UEFA said voting in the women’s awards is ongoing and shortlists should be announced next week.

Karim Benzema came up big yet again. He scored in second-half stoppage time on Sunday as Real Madrid rallied to a 3-2 win at Sevilla and moved closer to winning the Spanish league title for the second time in three seasons. Madrid conceded two goals four minutes apart in the first half but came back after halftime to win and open a 15-point lead at the top of the standings with six rounds to go. “Everyone is waiting for Madrid to stumble but Madrid doesn’t stumble,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “Madrid has heart, character and quality. It was a deserved win. The league is not over yet, there are several matches left, but it was a big push for us today.” Also read:PSG beats Marseille 2-1 to close in on title; Nice wins Madrid’s closest challenger is Barcelona, which has two games in hand, including against relegation-threatened Cádiz on Monday. Third-place Sevilla could have cut Madrid’s gap to nine points with a win at its Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium but instead saw its 15-game unbeaten streak at home this season come to an end. Benzema scored his 15th goal in the last 10 matches with a shot from close range after a pass by Rodrygo two minutes into stoppage time. The France striker is the Spanish league's leading scorer with 25 goals and is having one of his best seasons yet with Madrid. He had already been decisive in recent Champions League matches against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, being crucial in Madrid's run to the semifinals. Sevilla looked on its way to a comfortable victory after opening the scoring with Ivan Rakitic’s low free kick in the 21st and adding to the lead with Erik Lamela's goal from inside the area in a breakaway in the 25th. But Madrid dominated after that and pulled closer with Rodrygo’s goal from close range after a pass by Dani Carvajal in the 50th. Carvajal then set up Nacho Fernández's equalizer from inside the area in the 82nd, a few moments after Nacho had entered the match. Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior had a goal disallowed in the 74th for hand ball after a video review that lasted several minutes. Sevilla has been hit hard by injuries and has won only one of its last six league games. It stayed tied on points with both Barcelona and fourth-place Atlético Madrid. ATLÉTICO WINS AGAIN Yannick Carrasco converted a penalty kick 10 minutes into stoppage time as Atlético beat Espanyol 2-1 to end its three-match winless streak and strengthen its hold on fourth place. Carrasco scored from the penalty spot in the final play of the game at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium to give Atlético a three-point cushion over fifth-place Real Betis, which was held at sixth-place Real Sociedad on Friday. The penalty for Atlético was awarded following a lengthy video review to determine whether the ball touched the hand of Espanyol striker Raúl de Tomás inside the area. Carrasco had already scored to put Atlético ahead in the 52nd, while De Tomás equalized for the visitors in the 74th. Atlético played a man down from the 71st after midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia was sent off for a handball that earned him a second yellow card. Espanyol equalized in the ensuing free kick with De Tomás' shot getting past Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Atlético hadn't won in three matches. It also hadn't scored goal during that streak, including in the 0-0 home draw against Manchester City on Wednesday in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, when it was eliminated 1-0 on aggregate after losing the first leg in England. Espanyol had won three of its last five games, with one loss and a draw. It sits in 11th place. ATHLETIC STALLS Athletic Bilbao lost 2-0 at home to Celta Vigo to lose ground in the fight for a place in a European competition next season. Iago Aspas and Fran Beltrán scored first-half goals for 11th-place Celta, which was winless in four matches. Athletic hadn’t lost in three matches. It stayed in eighth place, four points behind Villarreal in seventh. Also read:Favourites to reach the UEFA Champions League 2022 Finals LEVANTE NOT LAST Levante moved out of last place with a 4-1 rout against Granada, which played with 10 men from the 54th after Germán Sánchez Barahona was sent off with a second yellow card. It was the second win in the last three matches for Levante, which has won 14 points from its last nine league matches, with four victories, two draws and three losses. It next hosts Sevilla. Granada had its second straight loss and stayed in 16th place, one point outside the relegation zone. It next visits Atlético.

Back-to-back Champions League hat tricks just reinforce the enduring value of Karim Benzema's clinical finishing to Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti sees so much more being provided by the 34-year-old forward he compares to a fine wine. “He is more of a leader every day,” the Madrid coach said after Benzema's goals produced a 3-1 victory over Chelsea in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. “He feels more and more important in this team and I think that’s what makes the difference. He has so much more personality. He is an example for everyone.” Also read:Villarreal keeps on surprising, beats Bayern in CL quarters This latest goal burst could end Chelsea’s title defense, barring the type of second-leg collapse by Madrid that Paris Saint-Germain endured last month at the the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Benzema now has 37 goals in 36 games in all competitions this season, including the three that turned around the last-16 meeting with PSG. “They’re magic nights,” Benzema said. “Today we came out to win, to show we’re Real Madrid. Things worked out well for us as we played well, from the first minute to the last.” The France international is almost single-handedly keeping the Spanish giants on the path to a record-extending 14th European Cup — and a fifth for himself — and powering them to regaining the La Liga title. Of Madrid's last 11 goals, 10 have been scored by the mainstay of the team for the last 13 years. The first two at Stamford Bridge were thumping headers inside three first-half minutes in the driving rain, while the third was gifted to him in a manner that raised doubts about whether Chelsea can muster a comeback in Madrid on Tuesday. “I think it helped us that our build-up play from the back was good,” said Ancelotti, who won the 2010 Premier League with Chelsea. “We found space between the lines. And then with Benzema and Vinicius we were dangerous.” Chelsea had given itself hope of recovering when Kai Havertz reduced the deficit with a header five minutes before halftime from Jorginho’s cross. But only a minute of the second half had elapsed when Chelsea’s slack defending proved so costly. Edouard Mendy was about 30 yards out from goal when the ball came to him and the goalkeeper brought it down with his chest. Rather than clearing down the field, he sent a short pass tamely to the dawdling Antonio Rüdiger. It was a gift for Benzema to intercept before striking into the unprotected net with Mendy still stranded outside the penalty area. “I’m happiest to have scored the third," he said, "as I missed one in the first half and I was thinking about that chance because it’s very important to score goals. Then I got another and I’m very happy.” The precision of Benzema’s first-half headers -- after getting on the end of crosses from Vinicius Jr. in the 21st minute and Luka Modric in the 24th — was in contrast to the shortcomings of Chelsea’s No. 9. Substitute Romelu Lukaku had a great chance with a header of his own when there was still more than 20 minutes to go, but glanced it wide of the post, resulting in groans around Stamford Bridge. “Very important," Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said of the miss. An all-English semifinal is looking less likely. The winner of this quarterfinal will face Manchester City or Atletico Madrid, with City ahead 1-0 after Tuesday's first leg at the Etihad Stadium. Also read:UEFA Champions League 2022: Top favourites to reach the semi-finals Asked whether his quarterfinal was still alive, Tuchel sharply replied: “No.” It showed his frustration after his team's hold on third place in the Premier League was loosened by a surprising 4-1 loss to Brentford on Saturday. “We have to find our level back,” Tuchel said, “but we don't know where it is.” The most significant action might not even have been on the field for Chelsea on Wednesday. Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly flew in for the game as the tussle to buy the team from sanctioned Russian owner Roman Abramovich intensifies, with the contenders whittled down in recent weeks. It just adds to the uncertainty hanging over the west London team. "I will not accept it as an excuse," Tuchel said. There was a surprise in Wednesday’s other quarterfinal with Bayern Munich losing 1-0 at Villarreal.

France won the second edition of the UEFA Nations League (2020-2021) by overcoming Spain 2-1 in the final. Spain could not have the last smile after playing fantastic football in the final and dominating ball possession for longer periods of time. On the contrary, France's counter-attacking style had caught the youthful Spanish team off guard. The French team was defeated by Switzerland in the round of 16 of EURO 2020. This victory will help them to move on from some of their past regrets. The match report of the UEFA Nations League 2021 final is discussed in this article. Nations League Final Match Report: France vs. Spain Kylian Mbappe's goal in the 80th minute of the match gave France's first-ever Nations League victory. Spain grabbed the lead in the 64th minute of the final match in Milan's iconic San Siro stadium. Spanish striker Mikel Oyarzabal placed the ball into the bottom corner after receiving a long pass from Sergio Busquets. French defender Dayot Upamecano tried but failed to stop him in a one-on-one duel. Read Argentina wins; Brazil draws in World Cup qualifiers Following the goal, the French side responded immediately and took the lead within two minutes, thanks to a spectacular long-range strike from veteran forward Karim Benzema. The Real Madrid striker received a through pass from Mbappe and went inside before firing a stunning shot towards the far right corner to level the score at 1-1 in the 66th minute. Both teams tried to equalize after that, but it was Mbappe who scored in the 80th minute to give France the victory. He sprinted forward after catching a through pass from Hernandez and calmly placed the ball into the net. Read: UEFA Nations League 2021: Semifinals Preview Spain claimed Mbappe was offside when he got the ball, but a VAR assessment revealed a tiny contact from defender Eric Garcia. So, France's lead was maintained following this decision. Match Stats: France vs. Spain Overall, Spain had more ball control and executed with more efficiency than France. Spain dominated the game from the start, with 64% ball possession. They passed with an accuracy of 85%, compared to France's 78%.