Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois says they can be happy after their 1-0 win at Rayo Vallecano.

Karim Benzema struck late for the win.

“It was a tough match," said Courtois. "The pitch isn't very good and there's always pressure from the crowd. We played well in the first half but we didn't manage to score. In the second half they had a header from a corner and then another chance. Keeping a clean sheet was crucial for us to win.

“It's always better to play on a good pitch. Everyone has their own budget and everyone does things their own way, but I don't think it's good for LaLiga. If we want to give the best image, the pitch has to be good, but it's not always easy.

"We had a good first half, we lost the ball in the middle of the park, but more due to the pitch. We put in a complete performance, we just didn't get the goal earlier."