Tuesday 22 November 2016 23:50, UK
Zinedine Zidane says Real Madrid's 30-match unbeaten run gives them huge motivation each time they play, following their 2-1 win over Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday.
A draw on Tuesday night would have been enough to send Los Blancos through alongside Dortmund, who romped to a Champions League record 8-4 win over Legia Warsaw and will now come to Madrid next month in a showdown for top spot.
It appeared Zidane's side would be left with just that after a penalty from Adrien Silva on 81 minutes had cancelled out Raphael Varane's first-half opener, with the home side having seen defender Joao Pereira sent off after appearing to punch Mateo Kovacic.
However, with just three minutes left, Benzema nodded in a weighted cross from Sergio Ramos to secure victory as Real extended their unbeaten run to 30 games in all competitions.
Zidane said: "What we want to do is to continue doing what we are doing, knowing that there are moments during the game where things are not going for us.
"To have gone so many games without losing is an extra motivation and we want to keep moving forward knowing that when you win matches, you go out more motivated next time."
Zidane, who had made just one change to the side which beat city rivals Atletico 3-0 at the weekend, was pleased with the way the team went about their job in Portugal.
"We had our difficult moments in the game but that is normal," he said. "In the previous game against us Sporting played with the same intensity and they didn't drop their heads after going behind.
"But we managed to score a wonderful second goal through Karim Benzema.
"It was important that we won here; we achieved what we came to get. We are going to play a final against Dortmund now."
Next up for Real is a home match against Sporting Gijon and then the second leg of their Copa del Rey tie against Segunda Division B side Cultural Leonesa, which they lead 7-1.
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