Karim Benzema: "Cristiano is a phenomenon"

Karim Benzema heaped praise on his Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo following his five-goal haul against Granada earlier today.

The Portuguese talisman scored a hat-trick within the space of eight first-half minutes at the Bernabeu, before going on to add two more goals after the restart.

It was the first time that the 30-year-old has ever scored five times in a match - a feat that has been hailed by his fellow attacker.

"Cristiano is a phenomenon. He is always on the lookout for goals and ways of helping the team. He deserves everything he has achieved," Benzema, who scored twice in the 9-1 win, told the club's official website.

Ronaldo has now scored 47 goals in all competitions this season.