How Real Madrid could line up this season

After weeks of intense speculation, Real Madrid looked all set to bring in PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe to the Santiago Bernabeu on a big-money move. The Ligue 1 giants had rejected Madrid's first offer of €160 million for the 22-year-old, but the Liga club returned with an improved offer of €215 million.

However, with the PSG board rejecting Madrid's latest offer for Mbappe, the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner will likely remain a PSG player for at least one more season.

Mbappe's arrival would have marked the first time Real Madrid spent money on an incoming player since acquiring David Alaba on a free transfer from Bayern Munich earlier this summer. Now the Merengues will possibly have to be content with acquiring another Ligue 1 player, Eduardo Camavinga.

Madrid have had their central defensive pair of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane leave the club at the end of last season, while a few players like Gareth Bale, Dani Ceballos and Luka Jovic have returned from loan.

On that note, here's a look at how Real Madrid could line up this season:

# Goalkeeper - Thibaut Courtois

Thibaut Courtois has fared well for Real Madrid.

After a nervy, underwhelming debut campaign in 2018-19, Thibaut Courtois lived up to his billing as one of the game's top goalkeepers by playing a key role in Real Madrid's La Liga triumph next season.

The lanky Belgian was a rock at the back for Madrid, keeping an impressive 18 shutouts in 34 games as the Merengues won their first league title in three years.

The 29-year-old fared well last season too, playing all 38 games and keeping 17 clean sheets, but Madrid were pipped by Atletico Madrid to the La Liga title by a solitary point.

Courtois, who is likely to be Carlo Ancelotti's main man in goal this season, has started his 2021-22 campaign by keeping one clean sheet in three games. The Belgian international has kept 53 shutouts in over 130 games for the capital club.

# Left-back - David Alaba

David Alaba is expected to play as left-back

David Alaba is one of the best full-backs in the game at the moment. He also excelled in the centre of defense for Bayern Munich, where he played over 400 games and won two continental trebles.

But in Madrid, the 29-year-old is likely to play more often as a left-back. The Austrian international marked his La Liga debut by picking up an assist in Real Madrid's 4-1 win against Alaves. Considering his ability to make goal contributions, that is unlikely to be his last for the campaign.

Alaba has made a good start to life in the Spanish capital, something he will hope culminates in a major trophy at the end of the campaign.

# Centre-back - Eder Militao

Eder Militao has impressed for Real Madrid.

Eder Militao has played only about 40 games for Real Madrid since his arrival at the club two years ago.

But the Brazilian has impressed in the limited opportunities that have come his way, especially in the injury-enforced absence of the club's erstwhile captain Sergio Ramos. The Brazilian was particularly impressive in the Champions League semi-finals against eventual champions Chelsea, winning a game-high six tackles.

Only 23, Militao already appears to be one of the first-choice centre-backs for new Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, as he has played the full 90 minutes in all three league games this season.

# Centre-back - Nacho Monreal

Nacho Monreal has impressed for Real Madrid.

Nacho Monreal is one of the longest-serving players at Real Madrid at the moment. The 31-year-old has made over 200 appearances in all competitions for the club during his decade-long stint.

Renowned for his defensive attributes, especially his aerial prowess, Nacho produced an impressive 11 clearances in Real Madrid's goalless draw against Liverpool in last season's Champions League quarter-finals, which Madrid won 3-1 on aggregate.

Despite not always being the first-choice centre-back at the club, Nacho has made at least 20 league appearances in each of his last four campaigns at Real Madrid. With the departure of Ramos and Varane, Nacho is expected to be one of the mainstays in the Madrid backline this season.

# Right-back - Dani Carvajal

Dani Carvajal.has been a mainstay at Real Madrid since his arrival at the club in the summer of 2013. The 29-year-old has made close to 300 appearances for the club across competitions, winning two La Liga and four Champions League titles.

Although he does not tally as many goal contributions as some of the other full-backs in the game like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Carvajal plays a key role for Real Madrid at both ends of the pitch.

Carvajal scored the winner in Real Madrid's 1-0 win at Real Betis this season, which was only his seventh goal in all competitions for the club.

# Central Defensive Midfielder - Casemiro

Real Madrid's Casemiro is arguably one of the finest defensive midfielders in the game at the moment.

A mainstay at the club since his arrival almost a decade ago, the 29-year-old has produced an impressive tally of 30 goals and 25 assists in nearly 300 games for Real Madrid across competitions.

However, the Copa America 2021 finalist has also excelled in his primary responsibilities - breaking up opponents' plays in the middle of the park with his dribbling, aerial prowess and ball-playing ability.

The Brazilian produced four goals and three assists in Real Madrid's triumphant 2019-20 La Liga campaign. Casemiro bettered those numbers by tallying six goals and four assists next season, but Madrid narrowly failed to defend their title.

Having started all three league games this season, Casemiro provided an assist in the thrilling 3-3 Matchday 2 draw at home to Levante, and looks to be a key player for Carlo Ancelotti this season.

# Central Midfielder - Toni Kroos

Toni Kroos is one of the finest midfielders to have graced the game. The 31-year-old has been a key player at Real Madrid since his arrival at the club seven years ago.

Kroos, who usually plays in a deep-lying playmaking role, doesn't score too many goals, but when he does, they tend to be landmark strikes. Recently, the German, who is a set-piece specialist, scored the first direct free-kick goal for Real Madrid against Barcelona this century.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup winner has racked up an impressive tally of 80 assists in over 300 games for Real Madrid, providing 12 of them across all competitions last season.

Kroos is yet to make an appearance this season, but is likely to be a key player for Ancelotti's men when he returns from his hernia injury in a few weeks.

# Central Midfielder- Luka Modric

Luka Modric is one of the most high-profile players left in La Liga following the departure of Sergio Ramos and Lionel Messi from the competition this summer.

Despite being on the wrong side of 30, the Croatian midfielder metronome, along with Casemiro and Kroos, forms one of the best midfield trios in the game at the moment.

The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner, who is closing in on 400 appearances for Real Madrid, provided a trio of assists in as many games last season to help his club reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in three years.

Like his midfield partner Kroos, the 35-year-old Modric also doesn't score a lot of goals. But the four-time Champions League winner makes up for that with his creativity, ball-playing prowess and experience, which have been invaluable for Real Madrid over the years.

Modric provided an assist in Real Madrid's opening La Liga game of the season, but has missed the next two games due to an adductor injury.

# Left Winger - Eden Hazard

Eden Hazard would hope for a breakthrough campaign for Real Madrid in 2021-22.

Real Madrid's Eden Hazard was known as one of the game's best wingers when he arrived at the club two years ago.

However, a combination of injuries and poor form meant that Hazard has been a pale shadow of his illustrious self at the Santiago Bernabeu, managing only four goals and nine assists in 43 games across competitions.

Considering the same, Hazard has been widely tipped to exit the club this summer, with Juventus emerging as one of his possible destinations after the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo from Turin.

However, if he stays put, he could rediscover his old form under Carlo Ancelotti, having played three league games this season and provided an assist.

# Right Winger - Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale has had a fairly successful stint at Real Madrid since arriving at the club in the summer of 2013.

The four-time Champions League winner, who has an impressive tally of 106 goals and 68 assists for Madrid, fell out of favor with Zinedine Zidane in 2019-20. That led to the player spending last season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur, where he scored 16 goals.

With Carlo Ancelotti's arrival, the returning Bale seems to have a future at the club. The 32-year-old has played in all three games for Real Madrid this season, scoring in the 3-3 draw at Levante.

Although Bale is at his devastating best on the left wing, he has had success on the right wing, too, where he is most likely to play this campaign. It remains to be seen what the player comes up with in what could be his last season in European club football.

# Centre-Forward - Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema is closing in on 300 goals for Real Madrid.

Karim Benzema is one of the most prolific centre-forwards in the game. He has been at Real Madrid since the summer of 2009, racking up a rich haul of 281 goals and 147 assists in over 550 games for the club across all competitions.

The 33-year-old Frenchman, who has won three La Liga and four Champions League titles, has scored at least 20 league goals in each of the three campaigns since the departure of the club's all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer of 2018.

Benzema is coming off a good campaign at Euro 2020, scoring four goals. The 34-year-old, who has already scored twice in three league games this season, is only six strikes away from 200 La Liga goals. That's a milestone he should easily achieve in 2021-22.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

Know More

Edited by Rohit Mishra