Real Madrid vs Malmo - Madrid boss Benitez wants repeat of Getafe showing against Malmo

Posted Tuesday, December 08, 2015 by PA

Real Madrid boss Rafael Benitez wants his side to replicate their first-half showing against Getafe for the whole of Tuesday's match with Malmo to prove to supporters they are heading in the right direction.

Madrid have won four successive games since crisis talk hit the Spanish giants in the wake of back-to-back league defeats to Sevilla and Barcelona, the latter a humiliating 4-0 mauling at the Bernabeu.

However, Madrid have still not convinced during that run, with the team almost surrendering a 4-0 lead in the last 13 minutes against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League a fortnight ago and then going off the boil against Getafe on Saturday.

The 10-time European champions had looked on course for a huge win in that match as they scored four times in the opening 38 minutes, but it was Getafe who struck the only goal of the second half as Madrid had to settle for a 4-1 win.

Now, Benitez is demanding a complete performance from his players as they play host to struggling Malmo in the Champions League, with top spot in Group A already assured.

He told a pre-match press conference: "To convince the fans that we're well we need to play 90 minutes like the first half against Getafe and continue with this run of wins.

"Against Malmo we want to win and maintain the confidence that we have. It's not a game that has a lot riding on it, but to win would be another important boost."

With progress already secured after picking up 13 points from a possible 15, Benitez will ring the changes for the visit of bottom-placed Malmo.

Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Keylor Navas have been rested, while defensive trio Sergio Ramos, Dani Carvajal and Raphael Varane are not fully fit.

That will give some of Madrid's fringe players a chance to impress, although Benitez has ruled out drafting in any untried youngsters.

The Spaniard, who refused to comment on speculation linking Madrid with Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, added: "It's a chance to rotate, but with the aim of doing two things: alternating players around and getting the win so that all the players arrive in the best form possible for Villarreal (on Sunday).

"A lot of the players who've been out injured are returning and they'll need to start building up rhythm. I'm sorry, there's no place for the younger players tomorrow."

Whereas Madrid have little riding on Tuesday's match, Malmo still have a chance of securing third place and a Europa League berth.

They are currently level on three points with Shakhtar but have an inferior head-to-head record so will need to better the Ukrainian side's result against Paris St Germain to snatch third spot.

Rasmus Bengtsson and Markus Rosenberg are both banned for the Bernabeu encounter but midfielder Kari Arnason is available.

Arnason missed Malmo's 5-0 defeat to PSG last time out through suspension and had been a doubt for Tuesday's match through injury, but he has given coach Age Hareide - in his last match in charge of Malmo before leaving the club at the end of the month - a fitness boost ahead of the fixture.

Arnason said on his club's website: "We'll try to bring home at least one point, that's what I'm thinking about."