Rafael Benitez has said that he wants to keep Toni Kroos fresh throughout the campaign.

The 25-year-old was one of Real Madrid's star performers in his debut season as he made 55 appearances in all competitions.

However, Benitez says that he needs to manage Kroos's playing time in order to keep him at his best.

"I know how important he was for the team last season and how difficult it was for him to hold down the fort in midfield virtually alone all campaign, so what I want is to keep him fresh," Benitez is quoted as saying by FourFourTwo.

"Luka [Modric] and Kroos make the difference when they're on the pitch. I will rotate by making changes in certain positions, but Kroos is very important for us."

Real host Granada in La Liga today.