RTE'S PUNDITS have given their take on Karim Benzema's cheeky Panenka penalty in last night's Champions League semi-final against Manchester City and it's got a mixed reaction.
The Frenchman has been in blistering form for Los Blanco's this season and kept that scoring streak up last night with a brace for Carlo Anchelotti's side in a game that ended 4-3.
Benzema halved the deficit in the first half with a well taken conversion near the end of the first half, but it was the penalty at 4-2 that sparked the debate between RTÉ panelists Richie Sadlier and Didi Hamann.
After Laporte was adjudged to have handled the ball, Benzema stepped up and chipped the ball down the middle of Ederson's goal.
This came after Benzema missed his previous two penalties in Real Madrid’s last game v Osasuna on the weekend.
Yep, of course. ❄️
Of course Benzema delivered a panenka in a Champions League semi-final 😵
This game really has it all! It's now 4-3! #UCL pic.twitter.com/TMkdfmveuC— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 26, 2022
His tally for the season stands at 41 goals in 41 appearances as he chases another Champions League and League double for the Spanish club.
"The audacity, the composure, the technique, the confidence, the bravery...to do that, in this moment of the tie is just a thing of beauty," Sadlier said
"So few players in that moment would consider doing that, let alone execute. You can't question him."
Former Liverpool midfielder Hamann wasn't a fan of the penalty though.
"I’m not a fan," he said when asked for his thoughts on the 80th-minute penalty.
"The risk is too high for it to go wrong. It was very nearly a foot too high."
Manchester City travel to Spain next week with a slim margin in the tie.
