Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 9y

Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale conundrum for Real

Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez says he is currently working on how to best fit all of his attacking superstars into one team.

Madrid have conceded just one goal in five preseason games as Benitez has used the matches to start to get across his ideas on defensive shape and organisation.

In attack the team has mixed impressive showings in a 4-1 win over Manchester City and a 3-0 victory against Inter Milan with less exciting goalless displays against Roma and Milan.

Speaking after Tuesday's 2-0 win over Tottenham in Germany, the former Liverpool, Chelsea and Napoli coach told his new club's website that he was working at the moment on organising his attacking players including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Jese Rodriguez, and was sure more penetration up front would soon come.

"The forward players have the freedom to move around and switch positions," Benitez said. "We are trying to make the most of Cristiano, Benzema, Bale, Jese... Bale knows what he has to do and now we are working on improving the team's physicality, which in turn will result in him improving in terms of finding the target.

"The team are very good and compact in defence. It's still early days because so far we have only been in Australia, China and now here. But for the moment I'm happy with the balance of the team."

Spain international Isco, 23, has impressed through Madrid's preparation games, leading to renewed calls in the local media for him to be guaranteed a starting spot alongside fellow playmaker James Rodriguez, even if higher profile signings such as Bale or Benzema were to thereby miss out.

Asked if the Andalucian had impressed him especially over recent weeks, Benitez gave little away.

"My opinion about Isco hasn't changed because I already had a good idea about him," he said. "His performances reaffirm what we already knew about him, that he's a great player, like many of the others we have in our squad".

Such attacking riches mean that young Madrid youngsters Martin Odegaard, Mario Asensio and Borja Mayoral are unlikely to get much playing time when the serious games start, and Benitez suggested loan deals could be put in place to give the trio of teenage attackers game time elsewhere.

"We have to see Mayoral, Odegaard and Asensio and weigh them up looking towards the future, to see what is the best for them," he said.

Asensio, who was signed for around €4 million from Mallorca last season, and who starred for Spain's under-19s at the European Championship this summer, has been heavily linked with a loan move to newly promoted Real Betis for the 2015-16 campaign.

After making his first appearance in a Madrid shirt against Tottenham, the 19 year old told the club's website that he was aware of interest from other sides, but would be happy to stay and fight for a place in the starting XI.

"It's a source of pride that so many teams are interested in a loan deal, but right now I'm focused on Madrid and we'll see what happens," Asensio said. "I've spoken to the coach and he told me to be calm, to focus on training well and then everything will be decided soon enough. I've come to Real Madrid to stay, I'm not looking beyond that."

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