Rafa does it his way - but problems persist for Real Madrid

It wasn't convincing, but it was enough. Real Madrid returned to winning ways on Wednesday after their calamitous Clasico defeat against Barcelona. Unlike on Saturday, Rafa Benitez did it his way and signs were positive for most of the game, although a late comeback from Shakhtar Donetsk showed the problems persist for the under-fire coach.

After Benitez's first 14 games in charge, Madrid had conceded only three goals and that led some - including sports daily Marca - to describe the side's defence as the best in the club's history. Since then, however, Real have let in 10 goals in three games.

At least they stopped the rot in this one after back-to-back defeats against Sevilla and Barcelona. But Benitez will leave frustrated after what should have been a comprehensive victory was complicated after Madrid saw a 4-0 lead cut to 4-3 late in the game.

Benitez had been under pressure from fans, press and his own players to play more of an attacking line-up ahead of the meeting with Barca, but the team he picked looked more like one everybody else wanted and Barca duly punished Madrid in an extremely one-sided Clasico clash.

Rafa dropped Casemiro for the game against Luis Enrique's side, bringing in both James Rodriguez and Karim Benzema while keeping faith with the disappointing Danilo at right-back.

"That's not a team Rafa would pick," his former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher commented on Sky Sports. "I can’t believe [he did].. either the people above him have got involved, or he's bowed to media pressure, the players, I don’t know.

"You look at that team, to not go in with a holding midfielder, Rafa would normally play two, and his best player this season has been Casemiro, and he left him out. The Benitez I knew at Liverpool - very strong-willed, no one would change him."

A lot has happened since Saturday, of course, and Madrid president Florentino Perez addressed the media on Monday to pledge his support to the former Liverpool, Napoli and Chelsea coach. And the club chief also claimed the 55-year-old has complete control when it comes to picking the team.

Perhaps conscious that his job is now very much on the line, Benitez did it his way against Shakhtar. The Madrid coach made seven changes to his starting XI, with Casemiro and Dani Carvajal back along with Isco, Nacho, Mateo Kovacic and Kiko Casilla.

Rafa had promised rotation ahead of the match, but this looked like much more of a team he would pick. There was more balance, more energy and more determination. And even though Madrid got off to something of a shaky start, they led at half-time thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo header.

Gareth Bale, excellent in his best position on the left and even contributing defensively, helped set up that one and also the fourth for Ronaldo after 70 minutes. Earlier, the Portuguese had laid off an assist for Luka Modric to smash home a second and Carvajal chipped an exquisite third.

So far, so good. At 4-0 up, Madrid were in complete control. But Shakhtar pulled one back from the penalty spot and added two more in the last seven minutes to leave Real reeling for the third game in a row. Without Keylor Navas in goal and missing the injured Sergio Ramos, this defence is suddenly suspect.

Both Ramos and Navas played against Barca, but neither looked fully fit and nor did Karim Benzema. That was part of the problem for Benitez, but he picked the team and ultimately takes responsibility. Now it seems he realises that if he is to go down, then he must do so on his terms.

"First of all, we won three points, and it was a great job from our players," he said after this match.

"After Saturday's game, we reacted positively, especially in attack by scoring four goals. Now we have to work on our mistakes."

And Carvajal added: "Pehaps we thought the game was sewn up and we relaxed."

Benitez certainly cannot relax at all after Saturday's debacle and he is missing Ramos for the next seven games now, while Raphael Varane limped off injured in this one and is set for a period on the sidelines as well.