European roundup: Benzema hits Real Madrid hat-trick, Milan thwart Roma

Karim Benzema scored a first-half hat-trick as Real Madrid recovered from a disappointing midweek loss at Girona by beating lowly Almería 4-2 at home in La Liga on Saturday.

Benzema opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a close range shot from a Vinícius Júnior cross and extended Real’s lead 12 minutes later after a magnificent individual play by Rodrygo. He netted his third from the penalty spot in the 42nd minute after Lucas Vázquez was fouled inside the box.

Lázaro tried to put Almería back in the game by scoring from point-blank range three minutes later but Real extended their lead right following the break after Rodrygo rifled a shot from the edge of the box into the top corner.

Real wasted several chances to extend their lead further with Rodrygo and Vinícius missing sitters from close range and Benzema and Marco Asensio hitting the post twice. A Lucas Robertone header narrowed the deficit after Toni Kroos gifted the ball to the opposition inside his own box.

In Italy, Alexis Saelemaekers’ 97th-minute goal gave Milan a vital draw away to Roma. José Mourinho’s side seemed to have won the game – and moved above Milan into the final Champions League place – when Tammy Abraham finished clinically in the 93rd minute. But Milan equalised when Saelemaekers forced Rafael Leão’s cross through the goalkeeper Rui Patrício. The two goals were the only shots on target.

Leão has now been involved in 19 goals so far this season, scoring 12 with seven assists, and has equalled his overall tally from last term – 11 goals, eight assists.

Milan host second-bottom Cremonese on Wednesday when Roma travel to ninth-placed Monza.