Real Madrid booked their place in the knockout rounds of the Champions League this evening courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Liverpool at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Karim Benzema scored the only goal of the game shortly before the half-hour mark, while Gareth Bale also struck the crossbar having come on as a sub for the defending champions.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look at who stood out in the clash between two of Europe's most famous clubs.

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Goal

Iker Casillas: Had very little to do all night, with only one shot on target from Liverpool. A clean sheet to his name, but he can expect much tougher tests as the competition progresses. (6/10)

Defence

Alvaro Arbeloa: As steady as ever in right-back, despite the occasional marauding runs of Moreno. Didn't have too much to do, but went about his business quietly and effectively. (6/10)

Raphael Varane: Showed maturity and a reading of the game beyond his years to deal with the few threats that came his way. Also tested the Liverpool defence at times with searching passes forward. (7/10)

Sergio Ramos: Also coped with the rare Liverpool attacks when they came his way. A solid and professional display from the Spaniard. (7/10)

Marcelo: Relished the opportunity to spend most of his time attacking, and was a constant danger down the left flank. Provided the assist with a wicked ball across goal, and put in a few similar crosses that his teammates failed to take advantage of. (8/10)

Midfield

Luka Modric: Pulled the strings at times from midfield, but found it tougher than he did at Anfield a fortnight ago. Liverpool were more competitive in the middle of the park, which prevented Modric from grabbing complete control of the game. (7/10)

Toni Kroos: Much like Modric, was content to keep the ball moving in midfield all game. Rarely hit top stride, but didn't really need to on too many occasions tonight. (7/10)

James Rodriguez: Had an early chance which was well saved by Mignolet, but drifted in and out of the match from then on. Not his best performance in a Madrid shirt. (6/10)

Isco: Was neat and tidy in possession and played a role in the Madrid goal, but didn't quite have the same impact that he had at Anfield a fortnight ago. (7/10)

Attack

Cristiano Ronaldo: Showed glimpses of his ability, but was unable to break through a stubborn Liverpool defence. Was denied by Mignolet a couple of times as he went in search of Raul's Champions League scoring record, which remains intact for another day at least. (7/10)

Karim Benzema: Got the winning goal with a real poacher's finish from close range, sliding in to convert Marcelo's cross. Otherwise didn't get too much joy in front of goal, but kept the Liverpool defence busy all night. (8/10)

Substitutes

Gareth Bale: Made his return from injury in the second half and almost got a second goal when his shot hit the crossbar. Also showcased his electric pace to break past Moreno, who resorted to fouling him right on the edge of the box. (7/10)

Nacho: Replaced Arbeloa in the 83rd minute and helped to keep Liverpool at bay in the closing stages. (6/10)

Javier Hernandez: Only came on for the final three minutes of normal time and didn't have long enough on the field to make a difference. (6/10)

Goal

Simon Mignolet: Made a number of decent saves, including two very good ones in the opening 10 minutes. Would have expected to keep the vast majority of Madrid's shots out, but still managed to limit such a potent attacking force to just the one goal, which he could do nothing about. Also looked more comfortable than usual under the high ball. (8/10)

Defence

Javi Manquillo: Struggled against the marauding Marcelo at times, but Manquillo would argue that he didn't have enough cover in the build-up to the goal. (6/10)

Kolo Toure: Liverpool fans must have been shuddering at the thought of Toure coming up against Ronaldo, but the Liverpool man came out on top in that apparent mismatch. Arguably his side's best player, Toure made a string of vital blocks and put in a magnificent performance at the back. (8/10)

Martin Skrtel: Almost gifted Madrid a goal after just 10 minutes following a poor piece of control, but recovered to have a good game, limiting Madrid largely to shots from outside the area. (7/10)

Alberto Moreno: Was arguably his side's brightest player in an attacking sense, carrying the ball forward well from defence and showing no fear of getting at Madrid. Had his side's solitary shot on target, while also doing his job defensively. (7/10)

Midfield

Lucas Leiva: Provided an important screen for his back four and, apart from one instance early on when he lost him, dealt with James well. May have earned a spot in the starting lineup on Saturday. (7/10)

Emre Can: Still learning at this level and a long way to go before he can fulfil his potential, but there are positives signs for the midfielder. (6/10)

Joe Allen: Was the one from the central midfield three charged with supporting Borini, but there weren't many chances to do that. Held his own in an intriguing midfield battle between the two sides. (6/10)

Lazar Markovic: Embarked on a few exciting runs, including one from the edge of his own box into the Real Madrid half, but still has problems with what to do with the ball afterwards. Had a couple of chances to break, but was always eased out of it by the Madrid defence. (6/10)

Adam Lallana: Came closest for the visitors with an effort that flashed narrowly wide of the far post, and improved as Liverpool became slightly more of an attacking threat. (6/10)

Attack

Fabio Borini: Surprisingly chosen to lead the line, but injected the sort of intensity and energy up front that Liverpool simply don't have with Balotelli in the team. Could not get much joy against Varane and Ramos, but his performance off the ball may be enough to earn a start at the weekend. (6/10)

Substitutes

Raheem Sterling: Posed a little more threat for his side when he came on in the final 20 minutes, but was unable to make a telling difference. (6/10)

Steven Gerrard: Joined Sterling in a double change as Liverpool looked for an equaliser, but his trademark searching passes could not create a chance. (6/10)

Philippe Coutinho: Came on for the final 15 minutes and almost unlocked the Madrid door with some clever passes that were just about cut out. (6/10)

Written by
Barney Corkhill