Karim Benzema labels Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo a 'phenomenon' after five-goal performance against Granada

• Cristiano Ronaldo bagged five goals in 9-1 victory against Granada 
• Karim Benzema scored twice for Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid side  
• Benzema believes Ronaldo 'deserves everything he has achieved'  

By Pa Reporter

Published: 10:23 EST, 5 April 2015 | Updated: 11:13 EST, 5 April 2015

Karim Benzema hailed team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo as a 'phenomenon' after the Portuguese struck five goals in Real Madrid's 9-1 mauling of Granada.

It was the first time in his career that Ronaldo has scored five goals in a single match and saw him become only the third player to reach the 300-goal mark for Madrid, a tally achieved in only 287 appearances.

On Sunday, Benzema said on his club's website: 'Cristiano is a phenomenon, he is always looking for goals and ways to help the team. He deserves everything he has achieved.'

Cristiano Ronaldo (centre) scored five goals during Real Madrid's 9-1 La Liga victory against Granada 

Benzema also scored twice after Gareth Bale had opening the scoring as Madrid's much-vaunted 'BBC' strikeforce combined to score eight of their side's nine goals, with the other coming from a Diego Mainz own goal.

The Frenchman added: 'Him (Ronaldo), Bale and me, we're in good form, like always. We're helping the team and sometimes we score and other times we don't, but we're in good shape to continue like that until the end of the season.'

Ronaldo, meanwhile, was quick to highlight the role his team-mates played in his five-goal haul as he inched closer to becoming the club's all-time record scorer.

Karim Benzema, who scored twice himself, hailed his Madrid team-mate Ronaldo as a 'phenomenon' 

Ronaldo performs his trademark celebration as his team-mates watch during the 9-1 rout at the Bernabeu

Raul currently leads the way with 323 goals from 741 appearances while Alfredo di Stefano is second with 308 goals from 396 matches.

Ronaldo wrote on Twitter: 'Happy to have scored 5 goals with this excelent team work. Thank you for all your support.'

Madrid's performance was a timely one, coming after they had lost three of their previous five matches in La Liga and the Champions League - including a 2-1 loss to bitter rivals Barcelona in their last outing.

Sunday's win saw Madrid close the gap to Barca back to one point ahead of the league leaders' clash at Celta Vigo on Sunday evening, and coach Carlo Ancelotti is looking to the future with optimism.

Gareth Bale scored for Wales last week and kept up his scoring form with a goal against Granada

He said: 'Everything went to plan. My team are in good physical shape, the players are fresh and we showed that throughout the match.

'We played with a good tempo and scored bags of goals. We come away from this happy but this is just one game and we have other important ones coming up.

'It's simple mathematics. It's better to win nine games 1-0 than one 9-1. But today we have to point out the good play, the team are back to playing as desired, just like they have played many times before. What mattered most was winning and playing well and we have achieved that.'

On Ronaldo, the Italian added: 'He has improved just as the team have. So, what can I say... This is the first time he has scored five goals in a game and that is good news for everyone: for him, for the team and in terms of the upcoming fixtures'.

Ronaldo now has 24 La Liga hat-tricks - drawing level with Barcelona star Lionel Messi