Real Madrid were far from their best but still just about too good for Viktoria Plzen in Tuesday's 2-1 Champions League Group G game victory. Karim Benzema's back-post header and Marcelo's dinked finish put Los Blancos ahead, but Plzen's Patrik Hrosovsky's late goal back made for a nervy end at the Bernabeu.
Positives
Any win was welcome for Madrid and their under-fire coach, even if there were few fireworks and Plzen are destined for fourth place in the group. Young midfielder Fede Valverde made an excellent impression on his senior debut for the club.
Negatives
A very performance lacking in cohesion gave the Bernabeu plenty of opportunities to voice its upset, the defence looked very shaky at times and there was no sense of a team giving everything to ensure their coach kept his job.
Manager rating out of 10
6 -- Julen Lopetegui's tweaks to the defence did not strengthen it, and a narrow midfield four invited Plzen to attack down the flanks, where Madrid are weakest. Most interesting was how he immediately sat back down after Marcelo's clinching goal, suggesting this is not a moment he feels like celebrating anything.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Keylor Navas, 6 -- Not too busy, but stood up well when called upon to block when Milan Petrzela got completely free in behind early on.
DF Lucas Vazquez, 5 -- Picked out of position at right-back, the right winger by trade was often pulled out of position by simple Plzen runs. But he did get forward well, providing the cross for Benzema's opener, and should have had a penalty too.
DF Nacho, 6 -- Preferred to out-of-form Raphael Varane in the XI, Nacho made a couple of last-gasp blocks late on to stop Plzen from an equaliser that possibly could have brought the stadium down.
DF Sergio Ramos, 5 -- Hit the post with a header at 0-0, but then didn't get close enough to stop Hrosovsky having time to pick his spot for Plzen's goal. As defensive leader, must take responsibility for another very shaky showing collectively by the Madrid back four against a limited attack.
DF Marcelo, 6 -- The usual mixed bag from Marcelo, who did his best work going forward, including a deft finish to make it 2-0, but often left big gaps in behind. Was whistled for one woeful piece of defending that should have brought an equaliser just before half-time. Limped off apparently injured late on.
MF Casemiro, 5 -- Most noticeable when noisily avoiding a booking after fouling to stop opposition counter-attacks, while somehow avoiding a booking. Not in the picture when Hrosovsky scored from the D.
MF Luka Modric, 5 -- A quiet performance from Modric, who is still working his way back up to top form following the World Cup. Stung Ales Hruska's palms with a 20-yard effort. Didn't help Vazquez too much down that side.
MF Toni Kroos, 6 -- After a rest at the weekend, Kroos was the most energetic of Madrid's midfield four. One laser-guided through-ball saw Gareth Bale find the net, although the flag was up.
MF Isco, 4 -- Missed a simple chance for 2-0, then whistled for standing and watching after passing straight to an opponent. Taken off early in the second half and clearly not yet back to full sharpness following his appendix operation.
FW Gareth Bale, 6 -- Another who looked well below match fitness, very wary of breaking into a sprint. Laid on Marcelo's goal with a neat back-flick, and could easily have had a couple himself, while always playing well within himself.
FW Karim Benzema, 7 -- Opened the scoring with an excellent back-post header early on, so he has been on the score sheet in the Champions League in each of the past 14 seasons, which is an incredible record for a player who still has his doubters at the Bernabeu.
Substitutes
MF Fede Valverde, 8 -- A first Bernabeu appearance for the 20-year-old Uruguayan, and immediate impression with an interception and driving run to lead to Marcelo's goal. Generally showed up his elders with energy and imagination during his half-hour run.
FW Marco Asensio, N/R -- Another low on confidence, provided one decent cross from which Vazquez might have made it 3-0.
FW Mariano Diaz N/R -- Spent most of his few minutes on the pitch watching from up top as Plzen almost got it back to 2-2.