'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Real Madrid is one of the most prominent clubs in the history of football. With 13 UEFA Champions Leagues, 33 La Ligas and 19 Copa del Reys, it is one of the most prestigious clubs in Europe.
For the Spanish Giants, this season can prove to be one of the most interesting and unpredictable in the club's history because of the departures of their talisman Cristiano Ronaldo and charismatic coach Zinedine Zidane, both leaving within weeks of each other.
In spite of the big void left by the Portuguese, Los Blancos still boast of one of the most talented squads in the entire Europe. The squad has the right mix of experience, youth and quality in every department with about two excellent players in contention for each position.
Let's take study how their squad looks going into the new season.
Defense:
Real Madrid have a strong core group of defenders, consisting of Captain Sergio Ramos and Raphaël Varane in central defense and Marcelo and Dani Carvajal at left-back and right-back positons respectively.
They also have good backups in the form of Theo Hernandez, Álvaro Odriozola, Nacho and Jesús Vallejo. However, Theo is rumoured to be leaving Real Madrid, so the club may need to look for a replacement to deputize for Marcelo on the left side of the defense; but with the versatile Nacho already in their ranks, they wouldn't have many problems even if they chose not to bring in a new defender. Moreover, they have been linked with Brazilian left-back Alex Telles, who plays for Porto.
Currently, Real Madrid have Keylor Navas as the undisputed starter between the sticks. They recently put pen to paper signing Andriy Lunin, making him the first player from Ukraine to don the legendary white jersey.
Also, there are rumours of Real Madrid following Chelsea Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. If this deal happens, Madrid can boast a goalkeeping trio, consisting of The 2018 World Cup Golden Glove, a three-time UCL champion, and one of the best young prospects in Europe.
Midfield:
Real Madrid boast of probably the best midfield department in Europe without any doubt. The trio of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro is a dream asset for any club. They have creativity and dependability of Kroos, the control of Luka Modric, and the defensive prowess of Casemiro.
The depth in Real's midfield is so strong that Kovacic, who has the potential of walking straight into the starting eleven of most European clubs, hasn't been able to cement his spot in the first team. Rumours say that he is tempted in a move away from the Bernabeu in order to get more playing time. Regarded as the heir to Luka Modric, Madrid will have a tough summer convincing him to stay.
Dani Ceballos, who has been the star of Spain's Under-21 Team, hasn't had much playing time either. Lopetegui is expected to favour the growth of Spanish talent at the Bernabeu, so this just might be the season for Ceballos to shine.
Norwegian Wonderkid Martin Odegaard, who is returning from a loan spell from Herenveen, is expected to be loaned out again, this time to a La Liga club.
Marcos Llorente is likely to attract good attention from his coach, thanks to the excellent physique he has developed over the course of time. If the coach resorts to squad rotation, Lopetegui's preference for technical players will surely favour him.
Follow Sportskeeda for all latest la liga scores, schedule, standings & transfers.
Offense:
The biggest void that exists in Real Madrid is in its attack section. The departure of Cristiano has put all the burden of goal scoring on Benzema and Bale. Cristiano Ronaldo's boots are not small to fill and not signing a superstar forward to make up for him hasn't helped either.
With Karim Benzema out of touch in front of goal last season, striking position remains a subject of concern. To improve the situation a little, Bale can finally play on his preferred left wing. The Welshman's role will be decisive again as it was in the Champions League final in which he gave us a glimpse of the beast he really is. He has looked fitter than ever in the pre-season training and he might be Los Vikingos' main man in attack if he remains fit throughout the season.
Asensio has so far been a promising young talent. He looks like the player, who can honour the legacy of the iconic number 7 jersey, vacated after Ronaldo's exit. Lucas Vazquez will be an important member in the squad, who can provide rotating options to the coach.
Moreover, Vinicius Jr. has finally joined Real Madrid's squad for pre-season and has looked like a player, who can live up to the hype. There are huge expectations from him in the debut season. Though the ideal way to his development would be to loan him to a side, where he can get regular minutes, the lack of striking depth in the squad at the moment may tempt Lopetegui to consider things differently.
Although Real Madrid have been dealt a blow with Ronaldo's move to Juventus, the amount of promising talent in their well-experienced squad would keep their fans interested to see how they fare this season.
