"I think Basel are currently better than Liverpool," says Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti

Basel head coach Paulo Sousa (R) greets Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti before their Group B tie in Basel.

Real Madrid may have been the victorious side when they took on Swiss champions Basel, but the victory surely didn’t come easy. The Los Blancos had to work hard for the three points with Cristiano Ronaldo being the only goalscorer in the match on Wednesday.

Following the match, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged Basel’s effort while comparing them with 5-times Champions League winners Liverpool who currently lie beneath Basel in the group table.

"I think Basel are currently better than Liverpool," he was quoted by Goal. "I see a small advantage for Basel for the last round."

"We did not play as we usually do. We defended well, we concentrated well and the most important thing was the victory,” he adds. "But Basel played with a lot of heart. They showed an intense game and were able to put us under pressure in the second half."

Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale was also impressed with Basel’s efforts, and was quoted saying, "Basel are still battling to qualify, still fighting. You have seen teams come here and struggle. They made life difficult for us, but thankfully we got the win.”