MADRID, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini said he was pleased with his side despite having watched them struggle to score in their first pre-season friendly.
Real Madrid needed an 87th minute goal from new signing Karim Benzema to beat Irish side Shamrock
Rovers after failing to find a way through a well organized defense for most of the game.
Pellegrini was still without some star players such as 65 million pounds arrival Kaka and Spain internationals Raul Albiol and Iker Casillas, while his side looked heavy legged after just nine days of pre-season training.
"It was a useful game to value how the pre-season is progressing. I saw some interesting things, such as some secure defending," said Pellegrini.
"The team fulfilled the objectives that we had set: one of them was to pressure our rivals and the other was to bring the ball out of defense."
"We are in a moment when we have to gain strength and to get into shape and that objective is being fulfilled," he said, adding that he was pleased that his side had dominated the game.
"I'd rather win with this result than win 6-0 without us having had possession of the ball, because this shows we are working on the things that the team needs," he said.
Real Madrid's next game of the summer is on Sunday when they play Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad in their opening match of the Peace Cup.
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