From jeers to cheers: Brilliant Benzema shows he's Europe's best No. 9

COMMENT: The Frenchman netted the winner in Madrid's 1-0 victory over Liverpool on Tuesday and is proving a real asset to the club whose supporters once saw him as a burden

It has been quite the transformation. Booed by Real Madrid fans at the beginning of last season, Karim Benzema is currently in the finest form of his career and his winner at Liverpool on Tuesday night was confirmation if any were needed that the Frenchman is now Europe's finest No. 9.

Many madridistas were disappointed in the summer when Real refused to make a move for Radamel Falcao. But coach Carlo Ancelotti was crystal clear. "My striker is Benzema," he said repeatedly and Javier Hernandez was brought in instead to provide cover for the Frenchman.

It was the correct call. Falcao, for all his quality and fabulous finishing, is not a striker who will work for others like Benzema, who drops deep to provide and create for Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo. It is a sacrificial role and one not noticed by many, but the Portuguese is a firm fan. "Benzema is the best striker in La Liga and one of the best in the world," Ronaldo said last month.

That is a fair assessment right now and the Frenchman even upstaged his illustrious team-mate on Tuesday, netting the winner when Ronaldo had been so eager to score and equal Raul's record of Champions League goals.

Cristiano's 70 strikes in the competition mean he is just one adrift of his former Madrid colleague, but Benzema now has 41 goals in the Champions League (in just 68 games) and is still only 26.

Once roundly jeered by the Bernabeu, Benzema slid in at the far post to slot home a Marcelo cross and was a constant threat for a dominant Madrid team that took its feet off the pedals in the second half.

That goal means he is Madrid's top scorer in the Champions League this term with five goals (the same total he managed in the entire competition in 2013-14) and he left the pitch to a standing ovation late in the game. In total, he already has 10 goals in all club competitions this term.

"Right now Benzema is in a great moment," Ancelotti said afterwards. "It is his best form since I have been at the club. He does a lot of work for the team and he is so important."

Ahead of Tuesday's match, Goal ran a poll asking whether the Frenchman was the Champions League's finest striker and readers voted in favour of the 26-year-old.

And later on Tuesday, he proved them right.