Real Madrid's ideal starting XI for the 2014-15 season

Real Madrid boss Carlo AncelottiAfter winning their 10th Champions League title, a perfectly settled Real Madrid squad weren’t expected to make significant changes. But given their recent transfer history, president Florentino Perez invested yet again to add more household names to the side. Toni Kroos from Bayern Munich and Colombian World Cup starlet James Rodriguez were recruited while Angel Di Maria and veteran midfielder Xabi Alonso were offloaded from the club.With new faces included for the 2014/15 campaign, manager Carlo Ancelotti has the job of rebuilding his squad and finding new roles for his players. While some will have their roles cemented to carry out their responsibilities, others may see their contributions reduce in the Italian’s renewed plans.Here is the ideal starting lineup for Real Madrid this season.

#1 Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas

Iker Casillas finally reclaimed his spot as the no.1 goalkeeper this season across all competitions after spending most of his time in the dugout for the league games last season. Ancelotti’s first choice shot stopper for La Liga, Diego Lopez departed for AC Milan while Perez recruited Costa Rican Keylor Navas from Levante as his replacement.

Casillas’ sweet memories of a Champions League win after 12 years were washed away instantly as Spain suffered a humiliating exit from the 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament in Brazil. And the 33-year-old was not spared by his nation’s media as he had to consume a fair share of criticism along with other of his team-mates.

With a treble still up for the grabs, there is no doubt that Casillas will have to take on the responsibilities of guiding his team and at the same time demonstrate his class in front of Madrid’s goal.

#2 Right Back: Daniel Carvajal

Getting back Daniel Carvajal from Bayern Leverkusen turned out to be a fruitful decision from the Bernabeu officials as the Spanish international quickly established himself as the first choice full-back for Real Madrid.

With Arbeloa gradually closing towards the end of his career and missing most of the 2013/14 season due to a long-term injury, Carvajal started in all of Madrid’s most important encounters and was vastly impressive down the right flank. His most noteworthy performances last season came against Bayern Munich over the course of two legs in the Champions League semi-final and against city rivals Atletico Madrid in the final.

With his introduction at right back, Madrid has looked threatening while on the attack, especially with him and Gareth Bale combining to great effect. Defensively there were a few eyebrows raised on the 22-year-old’s concentration on marking the opponent attackers and he does tend to lose his temper on occasions which is evident from his rash challenges and sloppy tackles.

However, his unquestionable work-rate and willingness to give his all throughout the 90 minutes makes up more than for the areas where he lags.

#3 Centre Back: Sergio Ramos

For a Real Madrid fan, Sergio Ramos’ equaliser at the dying minutes of stoppage time during the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid was a moment that fulfilled the obsession of millions of Madridistas all over the world. The 28-year-old may not have played the game of his life, but delivered when every single Bernabeu faithful’s hope had faded away and clinched the trophy that each and every Madridista cried out for all these years.

For the past few seasons, Ramos has been a leader at the back for both country and club. The former Sevilla defender has been a rock solid figure for Los Blancos although at times, he has displayed his short temperament. His record of 19 red cards in La Liga is one that he cannot be proud of. However, Ramos acquired more stability as a player under Ancelotti and with his heroics last season, he was voted as the best defender.

With a brand new season lying ahead and with increased expectations, Ramos will have to take charge and captain the defensive end of things for the capital club. Being one of Ancelotti’s senior members in the team, a lot of hopes will again rest on the shoulders of the 28-year-old.

#4 Centre Back: Pepe

One of the notable features of Real Madrids 2013/14 campaign was their defensive performances which improved considerably as the season progressed and one man who was majestic in the backline was Pepe. The 31-year-old was reborn under Ancelotti's guidance and came back strongly after an injury prone season in 2012/13. He was a strong figure at the heart of Madrids defence and did exceptionally well with his tackles.

Most notably, his biggest improvement was the correct reading of situations and not committing himself to rash tackles, something which we usually dont associate with Pepe. Going forward, Pepe also saved Madrid on a few occasions, providing the breakthrough from set pieces and scoring a few crucial goals.

Pepe continuesto remain as the first choice centre back for Ancelotti and with Varanealways there to compete for his place,he will have to continue his form this season and take charge of things at the back.

#5 Left Back: Marcelo

The left back position of Madrid has always been debatable as fans have argued over the matter of who should start at that position.

Both the candidates Marcelo and Fabio Coentrao are two of the best full backs in modern day football. While the Brazilian has been favoured at times ahead of the Portuguese international, his defensive responsibilities have been questioned time and again.

Coentrao, on the other hand, adds more defensive stability to the side but is known to be injury prone which is one of the primary reasons why Marcelo has been a regular figure in the starting line up.

After twisting his left knee in preparation for the team's La Liga opener against Cordoba, the Portuguese full back is set to miss the opening games of the season which means that Marcelo will line up on the left flank. The 26-year-old provides more of a threat going forward, but whether he improves his defensive side of the game remains to be seen.

#6 Midfield: Toni Kroos

One of Real Madrid's marquee signings this summer was Toni Kroos from Bayern Munich.

After winning the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the 24-year-old midfielder was brought in from the Bundesliga club for a fee of £20 million and he immediately proved his worth in the UEFA Supercup final win against Sevilla.

Being a proven world class prospect with the Bavarians, Kroos put on a show in the middle of the park, distributing passes from the centre and orchestrating the team’s play. A ridiculous pass completion rate of 96% was an authoritative stat, a statement that Madrid had a new midfield genius at their disposal.

With the departure of Madrid’s engine Xabi Alonso to his former club, Ancelotti will heavily rely on his new playmaker to anchor the midfield and contribute in both attack and midfield. And while there are no second thoughts on his ability to breach oppositions with his passes, he isn’t quite famed for his defensive duties or for playing the holding role.

But the former Munich man will certainly have to take on the added burden and fill in the void left by Alonso.

#7 Midfield: Luka Modric

Luka Modric was one of those players who prevailed and found new life after Ancelotti took over the managerial duties at the capitol club.

The Croatian had a slow start to life in Spain when he was brought in from Tottenham by former manager Jose Mourinho. But that changed after the Italian’s arrival and he found a perfect role for Modric in his 4-3-3 system. Lined up alongside Alonso and Di Maria, Modric established himself as a pivotal player in the centre.

He was magnificent in his new position and was one of the most consistent players last season. The near-perfect ball distribution, immaculate playmaking and tracking back to help his defenders regularly made him an invaluable prospect for Los Merengues.

With Toni Kroos partnering him this season, Madrid can boast of having two of the best central midfielders in today’s game.

#8 Attacking Midfield: James Rodriguez

2014 World Cup Golden Boot winner James Rodriguez was immediately recruited my Real president Florentino Perez after he agreed terms with the French club AS Monaco. Although neither of the clubs disclosed the actual fee, reports suggested that Madrid paid around €80 million for the former Porto midfielder.

With his arrival at the Bernabeu, Di Maria’s future in Ancelotti’s project became questionable as the Argentine was dropped from the starting XI to accommodate James. And while he departed the club to join Manchester United, James still has stiff competition from a world class talent in the form of Isco.

The Colombian is still in his settling phase with the team and has started in a few games but hasn’t done much until now. The former Monaco man has to find a way to adjust soon into the squad and he will have a big responsibility on his shoulders to prove his worth and fill in for Di Maria.

#9 Forward: Gareth Bale

Being a record breaking transfer always burdens any player with immense pressure to deliver and that was the situation Gareth Bale found himself in when he made his switch from Tottenham to Real Madrid for a fee of £86 million.

The Welshman had an inconsistent start to the 203/14 campaign mainly due to the minor injuries he picked up then and now. But he clicked into fourth gear in the business end of the season, saving his best for the Copa Del Rey final against Barcelona and in the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid.

With Ronaldo sidelined for a few crucial encounters including the Copa Del Rey final, Bale stepped up in the absence of Madrid's star man and scored the winner after an unforgettable solo run from the midfield. And it was his extra-time winning header against Atletico in the Champions League final that paved the way for Madrid's emphatic 4-1 victory over their city rivals.

In his debut season itself, Bale secured two trophies for his team and stacked up some impressive club stats. The 25-year-old scored 22 times and assisted 16 goals in all competitions.

Real's success down the right flank can be credited to the combination of Bale and full-back Dani Carvajal as they often terrorized oppositions and provided the breakthroughs when needed. As one of Ancelotti's star forwards, Bale will surely resume his role up front for Los Blancos.

#10 Forward: Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed yet another incredible season individually, but this time the impressive numbers were more rewarding as he grabbed his first Champions League trophy as a Los Blancos player.

He finished as Europe's top scorer, finding the net on 31 occasions in La Liga and a record breaking 17 goals in the UEFA Champions League. In total, the Portuguese capped off his season with 51 goals and 15 assists. He was largely responsible for Real’s triumphant campaign and his performances were acknowledged by UEFA when he was voted best European Player of the Year.

However, Ronaldo has been struggling of late with hamstring injuries which was evident from his World Cup outing as he failed to inspire Portugal in Brazil and they went out in the group stages. He came back strongly in the Supercup match against Sevilla and scored two goals but was again sidelined for the league encounter against Real Sociedad. And the breakdown of Ancelotti’s men in that fixture where they slipped from a 2-0 lead to a 4-2 defeat served as a reminder that Madrid’s attack is incomplete without his presence.

There is no doubt that with the new season ahead, the Ballon d’Or winner will have to lead Real’s ship and once again be the man to lead them to glory.

#11 Striker: Karim Benzema

For the fifth consecutive season, Karim Benzema will line up in attack as the lone striker for the capital club.

The France International had a decent World Cup in Brazil and prior to that, he also enjoyed a good season for the whites. In a total of 49 appearances last season, the 26-year-old netted 24 times and provided 16 assists.

Even though the Bernabeu faithful were frustrated at times with his inconsistent display, he regained their trust by delivering in some of Madrid’s decisive games last season.

Benzema is known for his unselfish play and his combination with Ronaldo up front has produced a lot of results for Real. After Jese Rodriguez’s injury and Alvaro Morata failing to impress Ancelotti, Benzema had no competition in his position and he became a certain starter in all the fixtures.

But this season, Madrid have brought in Javier Hernandez from Manchester United as a backup striker and that will surely prompt him to raise his game and perform on a consistent basis.