Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has heaped praise upon his side's defensive resilience after the hard-fought 1-0 win at Malaga on Saturday.

A goal from Cristiano Ronaldo was enough for Los Blancos at La Rosaleda, stretching their unbeaten run in the league to 18 matches.

"The match was very difficult because Malaga pushed hard," the Italian coach told reporters. "We had opportunities for a second but had no luck.

"At 1-0 there is always suffering. It was not a great match, but we [showed] defensive strength. We did not give (them) a chance. The result is very good and important.

"You cannot always win 2-0 or 3-0. We have worked hard and I'm happy. It was not the worst game. It was not spectacular. We missed the last pass. We had a great attitude and are ready to play the Clasico."

Real sit three points clear at the top of La Liga.