Benzema defying time to reach his best at age 34
By JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Karim Benzema is reaching the pinnacle of his career at an age when most top athletes are hoping to remain relevant. The 34-year-old France striker is enjoying the best season of the 13 he has spent at Real Madrid and making a strong argument for being considered the top player in the world. Benzema has scored consecutive hat tricks in Champions League matches against Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. Madrid hosts Getafe in the Spanish league on Saturday before Chelsea visits the Santiago Bernabéu needing a big win to keep alive its European title defense.