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Real Madrid's potential starting XI for this season is scarily good

And there may be more to come.

Iker Casillas

Nick Potts / PA Archive/Press Association Images Nick Potts / PA Archive/Press Association Images / PA Archive/Press Association Images

THE 33-YEAR old shot-stopper could soon be replaced in goal by Costa Rican Keylor Navas but Casillas โ€“ after captaining them in the Champions League final โ€“ remains the incumbent.

Daniel Carvajal

Daniel Ochoa de Olza Daniel Ochoa de Olza

Caravjal was born in Madrid and has been with the club since the age of 10, bar one season with Bayer Leverkusen. Indeed, Real rate the right back highly enough to have used their buy-back clause after just one year.

Raphaรซl Varane

John Walton / EMPICS Sport John Walton / EMPICS Sport / EMPICS Sport

French centre-half Varane joined from Lens in 2011 and looks to be the natural โ€“ and far less likely to be shown a red card โ€“ replacement for Pepe. Reported interest from Chelsea may see the French international depart this summer though.

Sergio Ramos

Andrew Matthews / EMPICS Sport Andrew Matthews / EMPICS Sport / EMPICS Sport

Despite being seemingly around forever, Ramos is still just 28 and has matured as a footballer. His attacking threat โ€“ as demonstrated in last seasonโ€™s Champions League semi-finals and final โ€“ is not to be underestimated but, defensively, questions still remain.

Marcelo

Andrew Matthews / EMPICS Sport Andrew Matthews / EMPICS Sport / EMPICS Sport

Potentially the weakest link the starting XI, Marcelo has a nasty habit of affording the wingers he is supposed to be marking acres of space, usually after one of his trademark runs forward comes to nothing.

Gareth Bale

Nick Potts / PA Wire/Press Association Images Nick Potts / PA Wire/Press Association Images / PA Wire/Press Association Images

There may still be some confusion over just how much he cost Real โ€“ a lot of which has to do with keeping a certain number seven happy โ€“ but, given they won both the Copa Del Rey and Champions League finals with the former full-back scoring vital goals, you imagine Madrid feel it was worth every cent.

Toni Kroos

Gregorio Lopez / CORDON/Press Association Images Gregorio Lopez / CORDON/Press Association Images / CORDON/Press Association Images

Compared to some of Los Merenguesโ€™ signings over the past few seasons, Madrid picked up Kroos for the bargain basement price of โ€˜justโ€™ โ‚ฌ30 milllion. A goal-scoring midfielder, it remains to be seen just how much defensive work heโ€™s capable of.

Luka Modric

Nick Potts / PA Archive/Press Association Images Nick Potts / PA Archive/Press Association Images / PA Archive/Press Association Images

Though Madrid signed Isco for โ‚ฌ30m just last year, it could well be that Modric is the man Carlo Ancelotti sees partnering Kroos in midfield. The Croatianโ€™s ability to pick out a killer pass remains his biggest asset.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Paulo Duarte / AP/Press Association Images Paulo Duarte / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images

Still just 29. Still easily in the top two players in world football

James Rodrรญguez

Lionel Cironneau / AP/Press Association Images Lionel Cironneau / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images

The newest member of this Galรกcticos era, Rodriguezโ€™ brilliant World Cup โ€“ goal of the tournament as well as finishing as leading scorer โ€“ helped cement a reputation he built with Porto and, last season, Monaco.

Karim Benzema

Andres Kudacki / AP/Press Association Images Andres Kudacki / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images

Perhaps the only out and out forward in the XI โ€“ though Real wonโ€™t want for goals โ€“ Benzema has come on in leaps and bounds since struggling to establish himself in his first season with the club.

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23 Comments
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    Mute Mark Wallace
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 4:18 PM

    Why do ye think Casillas is suddenly going to get back in goal after 18 months of sitting on the bench? Especially after his howlers in the CL final and at the world cup.

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    Mute Irishoversea
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 4:26 PM

    I stopped reading once you suggested Casillas would remain Madrids number havenโ€™t you watched the them for the last 2 years?

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    Mute Sean Lawlor
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 4:36 PM

    Casillas wonโ€™t be playing, marcelo is awful and Ramos is a total headless chicken. The other eight are handy enough!!

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    Mute Alan Tormey
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 5:25 PM

    Back 4 not great

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    Mute john mooney
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 5:27 PM

    Their defence can be got at especially if modric and Kroos are the the midfield neither real ball winners

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    Mute Philip Farrelly
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 6:33 PM

    There not real ball winners because there is no need for them to be. They donโ€™t give the ball away which suits Madrid as they will generally have more possession than the opposition

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    Mute Brian Lee
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 5:23 PM

    Didnโ€™t Coentrao start the Champions League Final? Because heโ€™s better than Marcelo, who wasnโ€™t getting a look in towards the end of the season. And Benzema is woeful, heโ€™s actually appalling. If they donโ€™t spend another ยฃ950 million by next Tuesday replacing him you would have to ask whatโ€™s wrong with the world.

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    Mute Larry Bird
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 5:57 PM

    Marcelo was coming back from injury, he was first choice most of the season

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    Mute Sean
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 6:51 PM

    Being a bit unfair on Marcelo, he can be suspect defensively at times but he changed the game for Real when he came on in the Champions League Final, he was extremely effective going forward.

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    Mute luke daly
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    Jul 23rd 2014, 12:27 AM

    Stay away from the glue Brian

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    Mute Alex Cluskey
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 5:13 PM

    What about do Maria , Iโ€™m not saying that James isent good heโ€™s a fantastic talent Iโ€™m just saying do Maria is better.i know that James had a better World Cup but he is not proven in the ucl and di Maria is .

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    Mute Paul Huston
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 7:18 PM

    Doing Mariea is defo better than doing James ill grant you that.

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    Mute luke daly
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    Jul 23rd 2014, 12:27 AM

    I think you will change your tune after a few games Alex

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    Mute Eblana AFC
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    Jul 24th 2014, 5:29 AM

    Heโ€™s just joined psg

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    Mute Brendan Hayes
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 4:58 PM

    That Ramos is an awful tit

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    Mute David Scully
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 6:21 PM

    Tge team there would never work there is no balance there has to be a deep lying midfielder who can defend and start attacks

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    Mute mark
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 6:36 PM

    It would only work on championship managerโ€ฆ

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    Mute Jonjo Shelvey
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 11:02 PM

    Xabi Alonso. .I could do the job though

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    Mute Simon McCarthy
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 10:51 PM

    โ€œWhy put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine?โ€ Zidane said it when they lost Claude Mak, so whereโ€™s the engine in this team?

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    Mute Joe Mcging
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    Jul 22nd 2014, 8:21 PM

    Jealous english fans on this โ€ฆ. sorry I ment irish football fabs โ€ฆ no difference. .. yet all the so called big clubs are bought over by billionaires yet not buy the bestโ€ฆ. jealousy it is. Pathetic sheepโ€ฆ keep paying and buying the jerseys . Biggest club in Europe is real Madrid fact biggest club in Asia Manchester United lol haha

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    Mute Brian Lee
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    Jul 23rd 2014, 11:24 AM

    Nobody has any idea what you meantโ€ฆ.

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    Mute Gary
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    Jul 23rd 2014, 2:00 AM

    So no place for Isco in that team. Heโ€™s not as good as the front 4 but still a very good talent. Would love to see him sign for Liverpool. And Xabi Alonso on a free transfer!!

    4
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