Real Madrid hitman Karim Benzema has closed the gap on Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski in the race for the Golden Boot in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) this season.

At the end of the last 16 ties, Poland international Lewandowski led the scoring chart with 12 goals and one more goal than Ajax Amsterdam striker Sebastien Haller who could not progress into the quarterfinals like Lewandowski and his Bayern side. Lewandowski also had four more goals than Real Madrid star Benzema as at the end of the eight last 16 ties in the Champions League this season.

Frenchman Benzema has been able to move within one goal of Lewandowski in the Golden Boot race at the end of the four quarterfinal first legs thanks to his three goals against defending champions Chelsea. While Lewandowski failed to find the back of the net for Bayern in the 1-0 loss at Villarreal, Benzema scored three times to lead Real Madrid to an impressive 3-1 away win over holders Chelsea at the end of the first leg games in the quarterfinals.
Benzema took his Champions League tally to eight goals with the hat-trick in the last 16 second leg clash at home to Real Madrid on the way to a 3-1 win and a 3-2 aggregate victory. He was able to take the tally further to 11 goals with his hat-trick against Chelsea thus making him the joint second topscorer behind Lewandowski and alongside the aforementioned Haller.
The fight for the Champions League Golden Boot this season appears to be a straight fight between Lewandowski and Benzema with Ajax Amsterdam out of the competition. Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah is also among the leading goalscorers in the competition with eight goals though the Egyptian international has failed to find the back of the net in his last two Champions League games.