Real Madrid showed why nobody can write them when it comes to the Champions League as they edged past Ukrainian side Shaktar Donetsk on Wednesday, riding on a brace by Karim Benzema.

Los Blancos came out of the dressing room all guns blazing and should have taken the lead within four minutes of kickoff if only Luka Modric had not missed a golden chance from just eight yards.

Shakhtar did not sit back either and Alan Patrick rattled the post on the other end with a curling effort from the edge of the box.

It was up to Karim Benzema to draw the first blood in the game and the Frenchman gave Madrid the lead in the 14th minute of the game by tapping the ball in from close range.

Shakhtar Donetsk drew level with just five minutes of the half remaining through a great play in the midfield that saw Fernando in on the goal and the Brazilian fired a shot past Thibaut Courtois.

Benzema again got the home side back into the lead after the break as he finished off a play-up by Vinicius Junior.

With the goals scored today, Real Madrid became the first team to score 1000 goals in the Champions League

Madrid hadn’t won at the Bernabéu in three straight matches in all competitions. It had won only five of its last 13 European games at home, with five losses and three draws.

The victory left Madrid with nine points in Group D, three more than Moldovan league club Sheriff, which hosts Inter Milan later Wednesday. Inter has four points and Shakhtar stayed in last place with one point. The Ukrainian side will have no chance of advancing to the knockout stage if Sheriff defeats Inter.

Madrid, which finished second in its group in three of the last five seasons, next visits Sheriff, while Shakhtar travels to Italy to face Inter.

Shakhtar, which started in the third qualifying round, was eliminated in the group stage in 11 of its last 15 seasons, including the last three.

It was Madrid’s second consecutive win against Shakhtar following a 5-0 rout in Ukraine in the teams’ first meeting this season. The teams were in the same group last season as well, with Shakhtar winning both games.

(With AP inputs)