Real Madrid beat Basel to equal club record of 15 straight wins

Real Madrid beat Basel 1-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday to record their 15th straight win in all competitions, drawing level with the club record held by Miguel Munoz's side from the early 60s and Jose Mourinho's more recent team.

Carlo Ancelotti now has the chance to outdo those two when he takes Los Blancos to Malaga on Saturday night.

Having won four out of four games already in Europe this season, Madrid were under no obligation to win in Switzerland, but they did anyway. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring in the first half and that was how it stayed.

Keylor Navas made his Champions League debut in goal and it was all change in the full-back positions for Madrid as Alvaro Arbeloa and Fabio Coentrao replaced Dani Carvajal and Marcelo.

In the middle of defence, Raphael Varane came in for the injured Pepe.

As for the front six, Ancelotti stuck with the same faces that took apart Elche at the weekend: Toni Kroos, Isco, James Rodriguez, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Ronaldo. 

Basel showed why they have done so well at home in this competition - they beat Liverpool and Ludogorets this season; Chelsea last year as well. They were solid, denied Madrid space and worked hard without the ball.

However that only took them so far and they were unable to create much further forward in a first half of few clear cut chances.

So once Ronaldo scored his 71st Champions League goal, drawing level with Raul, three back from Lionel Messi, it always looked like the European champions were set to confirm their spot at the top of Group B. 

Benzema worked the opening fantastically down the left and the movement from Ronaldo enabled him to have a tap in.

The Swiss side did improve after the break, spending ample time in the Spanish team's half, but they were unable to find an equaliser. At the other end, Bale smashed the bar for Madrid on a break counter-attack led by Isco.

And so Madrid go through as group winners, while Basel need to get a point at Anfield against Liverpool in their final game to join them in the last 16. A win for the English side would send them through instead.