Zinedine Zidane pleased with Real Madrid commitment at Levante

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane praised his side's commitment after they won 3-1 at Levante without a number of first-team players.

Real made four enforced changes with players injured and suspended from the team that lost 1-0 at home to Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

However, 18-year-old Borja Mayoral shone on his first La Liga start as did Lucas Vazquez and Casemiro.

All three suffered from cramp towards the end, while Toni Kroos was visibly winded at full-time and Zidane praised the application of his players after questioning their mental strength and attitude after the Atletico defeat.

"It is what we have to do. We all have to run and be committed," said Zidane. "I expected the four or five players that haven't played a lot to end the game tired. That is normal, but I come away happy with the performance of the whole team.

"When you don't play a lot it is difficult, but it didn't show today. It wasn't easy at the start and we got the three points through effort.

"We played how we wanted to and how I expected us to. When players don't play very often it can be difficult to perform out there, but that wasn't the case here."

Zidane also praised 18-year-old Mayoral, who marked his first start by forcing Marino's own goal, the goalkeeper accidentally bundling the ball over the line after the striker's shot had hit the post.

"Borja is our second centre forward, we know what he can give us. He is playing well and training well, he's committed and he's still very young, he's confident and has a lot of character," he said.

"We want academy players to come through, not just because they are from the academy, but because they always give their all."