Benítez: "We controlled the game"

26/11/2015realmadrid.com

Rafa Benítez, Real Madrid head coach, spoke to the press following his team's win over Shakhtar Donetsk: "You have to weigh up a lot of things and I think that what weighs heaviest is that we've won the group and played a great game for 78 minutes"

"We were on top in every department, controlling every facet of the game, until we made the mistake that led to the penalty, and then they quickly scored a second and grew in confidence. I don't want to forget that we are group winners and have won away in the Champions League with four goals scored. I leave here with a very positive feeling".

Conceded

"We showed complacency at 4-0 up; anyone could have thought that the game was won. Two attacking teams were up against each other. The goals today were avoidable: we can avoid the penalty or the goal from the corner if we show more concentration. The main thing for me is that the team did well for a long period and it's a first step in producing a reaction".

Reaction

"Reacting the way the team did after the game against Barcelona and going 4-0 up in the Champions League is really positive. Their goals are two lapses in concentration, that's all there is to it. The game was over. I want to focus on the positives, while we will of course be analysing what we did wrong. The players all put a real shift in and worked excellently".

Rotating

"Changing the playing personnel is important in terms of raising competition for places. We needed to show personality on the pitch and go out there with players in good shape, and I think that those who were on the field showed that".

"Regardless of who I had fielded today we would have put in a good match, because the players knew what they had to do and they did it well; they showed quality, intensity and a real desire to perform well. It would have been no different with others out there, but those who were on the pitch deserve credit because they did a fantastic job".

Bale

"Cristiano [Ronaldo] and Bale interchanged positions quite a lot throughout the game, Isco too. We saw more of Bale depending on the space that the opponents gave us and the way that the game opened up".

Modric

"We have three or four players who are talked about less and are crucial. They bring balance and clarity to our play. I prefer to highlight everyone who played from the start and those who came on later, because everyone played their part".

Style

"As coach of Real Madrid I've reiterated a number of times, and today we saw it, that this is a team who attack and score goals. Today, unfortunately we conceded goals that we shouldn't have at the end. But scoring four and creating the chances that we created, that's Real Madrid's style".

Injuries

"When you build up a lot of games and playing time, they can happen at times. I'm focusing on the good news that we have got a lot of players back".