Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez has defended Gareth Bale over local media criticism.

Benitez insists Bale has his total confidence.

“I understand that there are a lot of media outlets and they have to come up with stories. That means blowing a small story into a big one. At the moment with Gareth it appears that having a pacey player, with a good shot, who can put defenders off balance and can do so many things well is actually a problem.

“Having Bale, Ronaldo, Benzema, Jesé... in your forward line is a blessing, not a problem. That these debates get started really surprises me. We are the side that had most shots on goal on matchday one. If shooting on goal more than anyone else is defensive, then I'm completely lost. Attacking is looking to cause damage to your opponent. That's what we did. It wasn't defensive, it was attack minded, although we did lack precision."