Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has identified striker Karim Benzema as a "special" player in the Real Madrid squad.

Guardiola said this ahead of Man City’s Champions League semi-final first-leg tie with Real Madrid on Tuesday.

“His career speaks for itself,” Guardiola was quoted as saying in this regard (via Telefoot’s Twitter page).

“He’s been playing at Real Madrid for more than ten years now, and when a striker plays at this club for so long, it’s because he has something special, a gift.”

Benzema is having a brilliant season for Real Madrid so far in this campaign.

The France international has scored 39 goals and provided 13 assists in 40 appearances across competitions for the Los Blancos.

He has helped Real Madrid to be 15 points clear of second-placed Barcelona, who have a game in hand, on top of the LaLiga table.