Madrid pass Anfield test with 'flying colours'

• Madrid win 3-0 at Liverpool thanks to fine first-half display
• Merengues midfielder Isco says team are "finding our rhythm"
• Coach Carlo Ancelotti praises Madrid for "playing our football throughout"
• Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers proud despite defeat
• Next games: Real Madrid v Liverpool (4 November)

Isco, Madrid midfielder
I am happy with the performance, especially the team – in the last week we've taken a step forward. We're finding our rhythm and today was a big test coming to a place like Anfield and we've passed it with flying colours. Anfield is a very difficult ground and we came out with an incredible attitude and produced a spectacular first-half performance – that's how we got to half-time with that lead.

Toni Kroos, Madrid midfielder
I think we can say we are in a very good position in the Champions League. We've got nine points after three matches, so I guess we are on the right track.

I don't think they played badly tonight, especially at the beginning when they pressed us pretty well and made life difficult for us. After 15 or 20 minutes we managed to get into the game more, and even dominated. We were the better team from then on, but you can always concede a goal in those first 15 minutes – then life would have been more difficult.

Iker Casillas, Madrid goalkeeper
Achieving a victory here in a legendary stadium like Anfield is a pleasure for any player. The team played a fantastic match, the result is very good, and everything just worked out well for us.

Achieving three victories in three matches is positive news for us. We can now put the Champions League aside for a while, and focus on this important match we have on Saturday against the top team in our domestic league [Barcelona]. We want to win and close the gap, and we want to make it back to the top.

Carlo Ancelotti, Madrid coach
It's a very, very important victory for us tonight. We are very happy, we played very well. We played some excellent football in a great atmosphere. We played against a team who did everything they could to create problems for us but I think we managed to play our football throughout.

Maybe it's too soon to talk about a cycle. We certainly enjoyed what happened and we are really fighting very hard to repeat the success that made us very happy last season. I think we've got a competitive squad that's playing well and we've certainly got a huge desire for that to happen again this season.

Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool manager
I've got to give big credit to the players because in that first period of the game we were very good. We conceded poor goals against a top side but in the second half we were technically much better, kept possession a lot better and we were a threat. So overall, I thought it was a bit harsh for us to be 3-0 down at half-time.

[Madrid] were outstanding. They've got many players with big-game experience and they have quality right the way through the group. I don't think you can say they didn't play well or they didn't have to play well, because they did. I'm also proud of my players because even though we lost 3-0, in the first period of the game and the second half you'd see lots of teams maybe crumble at 3-0 down.

Jordan Henderson, Liverpool midfielder
[Ronaldo is] the best player in the world so obviously players in big games do big things. The first goal was an outstanding finish and from then on we struggled to really get forward until the second half. In the second half I think we were a little bit better but I thought we started the game well. There are still positives to come out of the game.