The Frenchman feels the Champions League holders are on top of their game at the moment, while he also backed Cristiano Ronaldo to get back among the goals this weekend

Karim Benzema says Real Madrid are currently at the peak of their powers after making it 12 wins in a row in all competitions by beating Liverpool 1-0 on Tuesday night.

The Frenchman scored the only goal of the game as Los Blancos booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a narrow but fully deserved victory at the Santiago Bernabeu and the forward insisted afterwards that Carlo Ancelotti’s men will not be taking their feet off the gas any time soon.

“The team is at its peak and we will continue to enjoy ourselves like we did today. We created a lot of chances and we are all attacking and defending together,” Benzema told the official Madrid website.

“We scored and didn’t concede, and that’s good as it allows us to be a bit more relaxed going into the last two games. We’re in good form and we will continue.

“We’re through. We played a great match against a good Liverpool side and we’re very happy.”

Madrid’s talismanic forward, Cristiano Ronaldo, failed to score for the first time in 12 games, but Benzema has little doubt the Portuguese attacker will soon find the net again.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world so if he doesn’t score it doesn’t matter,” the former Olympique Lyonnais ace reasoned.

“We have a game on Saturday [against Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabeu] and I’m sure he’ll get on the scoresheet then.”

Karim Benzema’s 27th-minute strike was enough to see the reigning European champions past a makeshift Reds side and into the knockout stage at a canter

Real Madrid booked their place in the Champions League last 16 with a narrow but comfortable victory over a depleted Liverpool side at Santiago Bernabeu.

Karim Benzema scored the decisive goal for the reigning European champions in the 27th minute, peeling away from Kolo Toures and applying a clinical finish to Marcelo’s whipped cross from the left flank.

Cristiano Ronaldo endured a rare off-night and Brendan Rodgers introduced Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling in the second half in a bid to find a Liverpool equaliser, but the visitors rarely troubled the Madrid defence.

More to follow… 

The Reds manager’s decision to leave out several key players was met with astonishment, with Jose Mourinho particularly bemused

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers defended his team selection for the Champions League clash with Real Madrid, insisting playing such a young side was not tantamount to ‘forfeiting’ the game.

Rodgers left several of his established players on the bench, including captain Steven Gerrard, Mario Balotelli, Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson.

In came the likes of Javier Manquillo, Lucas Leiva and Fabio Borini to face the reigning European champions and a side who have won all of their last 11 games in all competitions.

Rodgers, however, was adamant his players could pull off a surprise in the Santiago Bernabeu, telling ITV: “I think we’ve got a strong team out for the game.

“We’re certainly not forfeiting the game in any way, we’ve got nine full internationals playing and two Under-21 internationals.

“So we’ve actually got a strong team.

“Our last game that we won was against Swansea City and a lot of these players played in that game.”

When was asked if he was prioritising Saturday’s game against Chelsea, he replied: “The Premier League and Champions League are two big competitions for us.

“Obviously our form this season has been nowhere near the level we’ve set over [the last] 18 months.

“It’s probably hard to pick what our best team will be at the moment.

“But certainly, we arrive at the game this evening knowing we’ve got some very good players and, like I said, a lot of the players that won in our last game that played very well against Swansea, they get an opportunity tonight.”

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho was asked about Rodgers’ team selection at a press conference ahead of his side’s clash with Maribor on Wednesday and could not resist a sly dig.

“If one day I go to a game and I don’t feel I can win, maybe I don’t go,” said the Portuguese.

“So, normally, against the most difficult opponents, I will try to go with my best team. But who knows? Liverpool might play a fantastic match and win and rest players and the players are in great condition to play against Chelsea. In this case it might be a genius decision. In football it is difficult to comment.”