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Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez admitted his team had not been at their best in Tuesday's 1-0 Champions League Group A win over Paris Saint-Germain, but looked to the positives as the team are now already qualified for the last 16 and will soon welcome a number of key players back to fitness. Benitez's side were second-best during the opening 45 minutes but somehow managed to go in at half-time 1-0 up thanks to a surprise goal by reserve defender Nacho Fernandez, a number of missed chance by PSG's Edinson Cavani and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and visiting midfielder Julian Rabiot volleying off a post from 20 yards. Madrid improved in the second half, and home midfielders Isco and Toni Kroos had decent chances, but PSG's former Blancos winger Angel Di Maria thought he had equalised only for a late 25-yard free kick to flick off the crossbar. Madrid have now qualified for the Champions League knockout rounds with two games still to play, are joint-top of the La Liga table, and remain unbeaten in all competitions during 2015-16. The Blancos coach said in his postgame news conference at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu that he was overall pleased to have taken four points from two games against PSG, and to be already into the next round of the competition. "This game gives much more value to the result in the away game [a fortnight ago]," Benitez said. "This makes that a much better result. We won here, against a great team, we are qualified. "We knew how to suffer, how to work, in the second half the team improved and might have scored again. But I insist that the value in this win comes from the quality of opponent." Madrid club captain Sergio Ramos said on TV immediately after the game that "reflection" was needed about the team's first half performance, and Benitez did not disagree but said the return of currently sidelined players such as Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez and Karim Benzema would bring a lift. "Sergio is right, we must reflect on things not done well in first half," he said. "They hit the post, but we also had three clear counterattacks in the second half you can put on our side. "It is true we need to improve many things in defence. In the second half we were much better, less danger from them, and better counters from us. "But I insist, we are still winning, qualified, and have been missing players who people thought were among most important in the team. We can keep working on things we've not done well, and the return of other players will give us more alternatives." The night's fitness news was not positive for Madrid however, with left-back Marcelo limping off with a hamstring problem which makes him an immediate doubt for Nov. 21's Clasico against Barcelona. Benitez suggested the issue was caused by the player's heavy workload recently, but denied he should have taken preventative action and rested the Brazil international. "Marcelo was already playing many games, we knew anything could happen," he said. "As the games go on, the risk rises. It is a hamstring issue, he noticed the pain and did not want to continue. Until we know gravity of injury, only thing we can do is lament it. He felt good, he was playing well, so you hold on. But he had a lot of playing time in his muscles, plus lots of travel." Madrid would have a much deeper squad to choose from after the international break, ahead of the Clasico, Benitez said. "Players are playing many games, so the arrival of more players will help us, give us air and quality, and that will be noticed," he said. "We hope we can use the break to manage things. The good thing is that others are coming back, James is ready, Pepe too, Bale, Benzema and [Dani] Carvajal are close. These arrivals can make up for the players we are missing."
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