Real Madrid coach Benitez says no fitness issues at club

Real Madrid coach, Rafael Benitez defended his side's fitness levels ahead of their Champions League tie at home to Malmo on Tuesday.

Benitez was questioned in reference to some poor second half showings by Real Madrid in recent matches, such as Saturday's 4-1 win over Getafe, when they had been leading 4-0 at the break and the 4-3 Champions League win away to Shakhtar Donetsk in which his side saw a 4-0 lead turn into a nerve-wracking 4-3 final score.

The Real Madrid coach denied this was due to poor fitness, saying his side had "won four games and played well in all of them. It's not easy to always maintain the same intensity. Against Getafe, it was difficult to manage the game when you know that you have other games coming up," he said.

The coach added that Sergio Ramos had not fully recovered from his shoulder injury and that against Malmo he would give minutes to some of his squad players.

"This is the moment for us to rotate the squad. We want to win this game but also alternate a few positions so that the team is fresh for the Villarreal game (at the weekend," he explained.

Benitez was unwilling to reveal whether or not Denis Cheryshev, whose inclusion in last week's King's Cup tie away to Cadiz while he was suspended saw Real Madrid kicked out of the competition, would play.

"There's no need to say whether he will play or not," he said, although he did have praise for winger Lucas Vazquez, who has done well since returning from Espanyol.

"There is a group of players who are working hard and there's no need to give them any messages. There are players who train well, listen to what you tell them and improve," he said. Endit