Rafa Benítez made a media appearance in the Radisson Blu Nydalen hotel in Oslo in the build-up to the game Real Madrid will play against Valerenga (Sunday, 3pm CEST): "I hope we can play good football and win, they are having a fantastic season in the Norwegian league and it won't be easy".

"I'm very optimistic. The team looks very good, the preseason has been very positive. We've played some strong teams who are already in competition. We're 15 days from the beginning. We have this game tomorrow and the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy to prepare for our first Liga match. We still have time to work, to make adjustments, to manage the concepts that we have to manage".

Solidity

"The image of this group is that it's very solid. We've had games where we've scored and not conceded. We have to find the right balance. I see that the team is motivated and there is still room for improvement".

Playing in Norway

"We are grateful for the welcome shown by this country and city. It's always positive for us to see the reaction we get in the cities we visit which always have great football ties. It's very satisfying for us".

"Odegaard is a young player with a lot of talent. We want him to improve for the future. He'll play tomorrow, possibly the full match or maybe just one half. The most important thing is that he's patient, you have to take it step by step. We've spoken with Zidane and we have to decide. He needs to be protected because he's young. He works and trains well".

Cristiano Ronaldo

"He had a problem and he's working with the medical team. Next week he'll be fine and I think he'll be able to play the first game of the season against Sporting".

Injuries

"Those numbers aren't right, we don't have six injuries, we've had just two. Benzema and Pepe. The others are just niggles. If you counted niggles as injuries, the list would be endless. In reality we have two injuries and the situation is positive, particularly the way the lads are working. The overall picture is positive. If a player doesn't play a league match he might be injured, but if we let him rest for a friendly match it doesn't mean he's injured".