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Defence
Left-back - Marcelo
There were a whole lot of underperforming Real Madrid players last season, but none was arguably worse than Marcelo, with things reaching such lows that the Brazilian international had to publicly apologize for his subpar displays.
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Given his decline in recent years, a case could be made for his drop from the starting lineup, but it must be remembered that he is the current vice-captain of the squad, while also having the full trust of his manager.
The fact that the club were willing to let young upstart Sergi Reguilon leave on loan to Sevilla rather than sell Marcelo shows that he still retains the confidence of Zidane.
Indeed, the man who was expected to challenge Marcelo for the starting spot at left-back Ferland Mendy suffered an unfortunate injury during pre-season which did not give him an opportunity to stake a claim for his place.
Left Centre-back - Raphael Varane
Raphael Varane is the perfect foil for Sergio Ramos at the heart of defense, as whereas his partner is known for his rashness and physicality, the French international rather goes about his business in a calmer and arguably more effective way.
With over 300 top level professional matches and 17 major honors won, Varane is one of the most experienced defenders in the world, despite being just 26, and having given performances that belie his age throughout his Real Madrid career, the World Cup winner can be counted upon to give it a go once again.
Right Centre-back - Sergio Ramos
A case could be made for Sergio Ramos to be considered as the most hated player in the world, but even detractors would have to admit that his over the top antics come from a deep rooted desire to win at all cost which is what separates greatness from mediocrity.
When it comes to great defenders, there is arguably none better than Ramos in his generation, and having seen and won it all in his playing career, he has every right to consider himself as one of the greatest to ever represent Real Madrid.
The 32-year-old initially started his career as a flair right-back, but was converted into a central defender by Jose Mourinho and it is a position he has taken to with aplomb, captaining Real Madrid through the most successful period in their modern history.
Right-back - Dani Carvajal
Dani Carvajal has been a mainstay on the right flank of Real Madrid’s defence ever since returning to the club after a one-year spell at Bayer Leverkusen in 2013.
He has played over 200 games in all competitions for Los Blancos and has been an integral part of all of the club's successes in the last five years, with his pin-point crossing ability and pristine overlapping runs proving to be an invaluable part of Zidane's attacking arsenal.
Though he has been plagued by injury concerns of late, there are few better right-backs than Carvajal in the world, and Zidane would be hoping he retains his fitness to help the club's ascendancy back to the summit.
