Benitez: We weren’t on point, we must work harder
Real Madrid manager Rafa Benitez was disappointed with his side’s 0-0 La Liga season opening draw against Sporting Gijon at El Molinon on Sunday evening but is optimistic moving forward.
In his post-match press conference following their shocking draw against the La Liga newcomers, Benitez admitted that he knew that his side faced a difficult challenge going against Abelardo Fernandez’s young and gritty Sporting side and stressed that they must improve their accuracy moving forward.
"We knew that it was going to be a game in which Sporting would make things difficult for us. We had to be quick and on point. There were a lot of shots but we lacked accuracy. In the first half, we gave Sporting opportunity. We must improve, we need to work harder."
Benitez went on to add that although there are many aspects that need improve and the new players need to continue their integration into the squad, the is optimistic about the team’s performance moving forward.
"We reacted well in the second half. We showed character and personality. The second half showed a team that clearly came out to win the game. We lacked that final pass and final touch."
"In order to get a better performance, we need more freedom to move. We saw a lot of plays in the attack but we lacked space."
Benitez concluded by praising Sporting Gijon and their performance, while dismissing that his side were suffering from a bit of nerves ahead of a season where there was more expectations put on the team than any other year.
"You could tell that there are many players for Sporting who have been playing together for a long time. Their style is very clear. That’s why we saw a team that didn’t miss a beat. They have ironed out all their kinks and proved to be an intense team. Sporting played very well, they were very organised and the credit goes to them."