- Title: SOCCER-SPAIN/REAL Real looking to kick-start season against Betis
- Date: 28th August 2015
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (AUGUST 28, 2015) (REUTERS) REAL MADRID PLAYERS AT TRAINING SESSION PLAYERS WARMING UP WELSH FORWARD GARETH BALE TRAINING WITH HIS TEAM MATES PLAYERS WARMING UP REAL MADRID COACH RAFAEL BENITEZ LOOKING ON AS PLAYERS WARMING UP BENITEZ ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE AND SITTING DOWN NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH, RAFAEL BENITEZ, TALKING ABOUT STRIKER KARIM BENZEMA, SAYING: "He has the quality. He can dribble, he can play a one-two, he can run into space, he can do everything and everything very well. We have to give him consistency. And he has to work towards that, and we will try to help him. I have set him that goal and he has agreed to score between 20-25 goals and give assists etc, etc." FRENCH STRIKER KARIM BENZEMA TRAINING WITH HIS TEAM MATES PORTUGUESE FORWARD CRISTIANO RONALDO AND COLOMBIAN MIDFIELDER JAMES RODRIQUEZ TRAINING WITH TEAM MATES CROATIAN MIDFIELDERS MATEO KOVACIC AND LUKA MODRIC WALKING NEXT TO BALE PLAYERS TRAINING PLAYERS WARMING UP BRAZILIAN DEFENDER DANILO WARMING UP PLAYERS LISTENING TO BENITEZ RONALDO AND OTHER PLAYERS LISTENING TO ASSISTANT COACH PACO DE MIGUEL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH, RAFAEL BENITEZ, SAYING: "Regarding (forward Gareth) Bale he looks like a fast player, that has a good shot and dribbling ability. He has a good header... He does so many things good, it looks like it is a problem (of the fans who criticise him)." BALE CHASING GOALKEEPER KEYLOR NAVAS PLAYERS LOOKING ON DURING TRAINING BENITEZ TALKING WITH MODRIC SPANISH DEFENDER SERGIO RAMOS AND BENZEMA RUNNING PORTUGUESE DEFENDER PEPE RUNNING AND TALKING WITH RONALDO (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH, RAFAEL BENITEZ, SAYING: "I expect a team similar to Sporting. They are back in the first division, they are excited, they have a good crowd and they are willing to give a good account of themselves to achieve a good result. So it won't be easy, as is the case with every game." VARIOUS OF PLAYERS TRAINING BALE AT SESSION / BENITEZ TALKING WITH HIS ASSISTANT COACH PLAYERS TRAINING BENZEMA TRAINING BALE TRAINING PLAYERS TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH, RAFAEL BENITEZ, TALKING ABOUT CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW, SAYING: "It won't be easy because we know that PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) are a team with very good players, and they reinforce the squad every year. We are playing Shaktar Donetsk that have experience in Champions (League). They sign many Brazilian players with skill and dribbling. So it is an experienced team with good players. They make every game difficult. Malmo have won their league, they managed to knock out Celtic. Of course, they are not as strong and we know that." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS BENITEZ LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 12th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- Country: Spain
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA7F8DEFOM4XE3783XAYA8E8GOW
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Striker Karim Benzema must become more consistent, Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez said on Friday (August 28).
In a news conference previewing their home league match against Real Betis on Saturday (August 29), Benitez said France striker Benzema has agreed to work towards finding more consistency in his game, but that he had all the tools needed to have a prolific campaign.
"He has the quality," said Benitez.
"He can dribble, he can play a one-two, he can run into space, he can do everything and everything very well. We have to give him consistency. And he has to work towards that, and we will try to help him. I have set him that goal and he has agreed to score between 20-25 goals and give assists etc, etc."
The Frenchman, who often plays a supporting role to superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, still scored 22 goals in 47 appearances last season, and has scored over 120 goals for the Spanish giants since signing from Olympique Lyonnais.
Another player who has faced criticism recently is Welsh forward Bale, who joined Real for a world record fee in 2013.
Despite also scoring 22 goals last season, Bale has been widely criticised by Real's fans and in certain parts of the Spanish media.
However, Benitez shrugged off this criticism, saying it was the problem of Bale's detractors for not seeing the Welshman's clear talents.
"Regarding (forward Gareth) Bale he looks like a fast player, that has a good shot and dribbling ability. He has a good header... He does so many things good, it looks like it is a problem (of the fans who criticise him)," said the 55-year old.
The former Napoli coach also dismissed suggestions he has imposed a defensive playing style on the team after they were held to a goalless draw in their opening La Liga match at newly-promoted Sporting Gijon.
Asked about upcoming opponents Betis, who are also newly-promoted, Benitez said they will give their all when the teams meet at the Bernabeu.
"I expect a team similar to Sporting. They are back in the first division, they are excited, they have a good crowd and they are willing to give a good account of themselves to achieve a good result. So it won't be easy, as is the case with every game," he said.
Real, whose failure to win the Champions League, La Liga or the King's Cup last season prompted former boss Carlo Ancelotti's sacking, are seeking to deny arch-rivals Barcelona a sixth Spanish league title in eight years.
Benitez knows a win is a must on Saturday to stay in touch with Barcelona and to silence the critics that are already circling at Real.
If Benitez is going to replicate the success of his predecessor Ancelotti in winning the Champions League, Real will have to first progress from a difficult group that sees them paired with French champions Paris Saint-Germain, Ukraine's Shaktar Donetsk, and relative minnows Malmo FF.
"It won't be easy because we know that PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) are a team with very good players, and they reinforce the squad every year," he said.
"We are playing Shaktar Donetsk that have experience in Champions (League). They sign many Brazilian players with skill and dribbling. So it is an experienced team with good players. They make every game difficult. Malmo have won their league, they managed to knock out Celtic. Of course, they are not as strong and we know that," admitted Benitez.
Real host Shaktar Donetsk on their Champions League opener on September 15. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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