Real Madrid CF striker Karim Benzema was very satisfied after scoring twice in the 6-2 home success against GNK Dinamo Zagreb which confirmed his side's place atop UEFA Champions League Group D. Meanwhile, Nuri Şahin's competition debut offered the midfielder plenty to ponder and Dinamo's Luis Ibáñez found the heavy defeat hard to take.
I'm really happy with tonight's game. I managed to score twice but the most important thing was that we won. It was a great performance from the whole team. We may have already been through but, as you saw, we like to go out and try to win all our matches. I have been doing really well in the Champions League and here's hoping I can continue to do so.
That was my first start in this side and to play all 90 minutes was very important for me. I didn't play well but the team were very good and scored some spectacular goals. I haven't played for six months so the game felt like it lasted a long time. I need to work hard but I know my best level and I'm not yet 100%. The fans here still don't know what I'm capable of.
What was important was that we secured top spot in the group. There were a lot of changes to our lineup but the team that played never let up and I'm happy about that. Our coach told us to go out there switched on – we all understood what that meant. The secret of this team is that we all feel we are an important part of it. It's a good thing that we are in our best form because the season is long and every player will be necessary.
We knew we were coming here to play a very strong team. We didn't get the ball tonight – Madrid didn't let us touch it. They were much better than us. They are a great side and it's clear to see why they are up where they are. I always try to see things positively but I'm leaving here very angry as we lost by a huge scoreline. But these things happen and we have to congratulate Real Madrid for how they played. I think they will go a long way this season.
For us, it was important to score a couple of goals as we previously hadn't done so in the group stage. We are well aware how good Real Madrid are at the moment – they are a great team. This is our first Champions League campaign in a long time and we did what we could. Whichever way you look at it, the experience has been positive. This was the first time I have played at the Santiago Bernabéu and hopefully one day I will get a chance to come back and play against one of the best teams in the world.
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