Shakhtar Donetsk vs Real Madrid

Shakhtar tried to comeback late on but it was too late and Real Madrid ran out winning 4-3.

Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice while Luka Modric and Dani Carvajal also scored to relieve some of the pressure on Benitez, who was given a vote of confidence by president Florentino Perez following Saturday’s rout by Barcelona.

Then nearly unbelievably Shakhtar scored three times in 11 minutes through an Alex Teixeira brace [one a penalty] and a free header at a corner from substitute Dentinho.

Even before Cristiano Ronaldo would break the deadlock just shy of 30 minutes, there was passing in midfield, good movement and some nice interplay.

A rocket of a shot.

Carvajal said: “We played as a team, we wanted to go forward and back together and much of the game we controlled, except at the end”. We played a great game until we made the mistake for the penalty and the corner. Rafa Benítez’s men, who clearly were still shaken from the trauma they suffered in the last weekend’s Clasico against Barcelona, have now conceded 7 goals in only 2 games. “That’s the most important thing, that we are united”.

Beleaguered Real Madrid fly down to Donetsk with very bitter taste in the mouth following the Clasico humiliation, and will be aiming to put the vanquishment in the dustbin of history with a morale-boosting win in Ukraine.

“It is all about Ronaldo and the big players there so Rafa has got to adapt to them rather than vice versa”.

A brilliant team goal from two of the standout players on the night, Bale and Ronaldo, would give Madrid their 4th.

Ronaldo made amends for his miss when he headed his side in front in the 18th minute when he finished a fine team move, which involved Modric and Gareth Bale. Today, we get to watch Real Madrid of La Liga take on Shakhtar Donetsk of the Ukrainian Premier League in the Group A match.

Well, for about 70 minutes, most Madridistas would have been pleased with the result.

Benitez appears to be struggling to bring the best out of Ronaldo this season, with the Portuguese scoring in just four of his last 13 matches.

“I don’t like to talk of individual players, but we have three or four players who are less talked about”, he said.

Louis van Gaal’s team created plenty of chances, but in the opposition box they looked toothless and Wolfsburg now top Group B.