Madrid ride their luck - BUT they'll have to defend much better in the Clasico

Talk about riding your luck. Real Madrid were so outclassed in the first 45 minutes against Paris Saint-Germain that they could have been three or four down at the break. Instead, however, they went in a goal up and held on for what had looked an improbable victory. Against Barcelona in the Clasico, they'll need to do better than this.

Madrid came into this match with an impressive defensive record under Rafa Benitez, having conceded just four goals in 2015-16. But unlike in the goalless game at the Parc des Princes recently when Real were the better team, this time PSG's stars came out to play. All that was missing from the French champions, though, was the finishing.

Angel Di Maria, excellent on his return to the Santiago Bernabeu, set up Edinson Cavani for a glorious chance which the Uruguayan forward fluffed, missed a good opportunity of his own, rattled the post with a corner and hit the bar with a late free-kick, while Adrien Rabiot also struck the woodwork and Zlatan Ibrahimovic curled one effort just wide. Cavani and Ibrahimovic also came close to converting from a curling cross delivered by Maxwell that somehow stayed out.

Incredibly, Real remained unscathed and what looked like the worst news of the night for Madrid - an injury to the in-form Marcelo - actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise as his replacement, Nacho, netted within two minutes of coming on.

"I didn't have time to warm up," the defender said afterwards. "My warm-up was the celebration." Sometimes it's not your night and PSG will feel that. Instead, it was Nacho's night.

This was not Madrid's strongest side, of course, with James Rodriguez only just back from a seven-week layoff and Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema still out. Isco worked hard, but he and Jese struggled to make an impact and Cristiano Ronaldo was isolated for long periods in a disjointed system.

"We played against PSG, a great team," Benitez said afterwards. "I'm happy because we won and we knew how to suffer. We are first in our group and we didn't concede a goal. So we should be positive against a difficult rival."

That may be true, but Madrid's clean sheet was down to considerable good fortune more than their defensive qualities on this occasion and against Barcelona in the Clasico later this month, they may be less lucky.

Madrid host the Catalans at the Bernabeu on November 21 and are welcoming back their injured players at just the right time ahead of the much-anticipated Clasico clash.

For Barca, meanwhile, Lionel Messi is still recovering from the knee ligament injury he suffered in the game against Las Palmas in late September, with reports on Monday claiming he may not be back in time to face Madrid at the Bernabeu.

However, coach Luis Enrique and the player's father have both said he is recovering according to plan and such has been Barca's form in recent weeks that even without the Argentine attacker, Neymar and Luis Suarez will pose a significant threat to Benitez's defensive record.

"We have to reflect upon our errors," Sergio Ramos admitted.

But Benitez added: "What this team has to do is keep improving and recover our players. We are qualified and the players are coming back. The way we won the game is of greater value than what we achieved in Paris."

That is all very well, but the Spanish coach knows he will be in trouble if Madrid lose the Clasico and the team's Liga hopes may just depend on it as the two rivals sit level on top of the table at the moment.

After all, PSG are a quality attacking side as he himself said, but Barcelona are at a whole new level. So having rode their luck on Tuesday, Benitez will now turn his attentions to improving Madrid's defence in time for the Clasico in 18 days' time.

There is plenty of work to be done.