We know we must improve – Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema says the Real Madrid players must improve despite their emphatic win over Shakhtar Donesk on Tuesday.

Los Blancos kicked off their European campaign with a 4-0 over the Ukrainians at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Benzema netting the opener on the half hour mark and Cristiano Ronaldo netting his second hat trick of the week in the second half.

But talking to reports after the match, Benzema said there was a sense of frustration still because the players didn’t find their rhythm until the second half and know they need to come out of the blocks quicker.

He also bemoaned injuries to three key players – Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane and Gareth Bale – something that took the shine off the win.

“The best thing was the victory because in the first half we didn’t have rhythm and I don’t know why. We lost control and we missed a lot of chances. It’s rare and three top players were injured. The important thing is the points,” he stated.

He also went on to praise Ronaldo, who broke the goal scoring record in the competition, becoming the first player to reach 80 goals. With Leo Messi just three behind, the tussle for the crown is set to continue for a few more years.

“For me, Cristiano is one of the best players in the world. I have a lot of confidence in myself but the team winning is the most important.”