The Real Madrid line-up that should start against Barcelona in the El Clásico

Following a humiliating Champions League defeat at home to half of Shakhtar Donetsk, Real Madrid need to regroup seriously as they are none other than Barcelona facing next.

After falling 3-0 behind against the Ukrainian team, there was a response in the second half from Zinedine Zidane’s side, but not enough to regain a point at least when they fell to a 3-2 loss.

The first Clásico of the season awaits them on Saturday at the Camp Nou, with neither team making much of an impression at the start of the 2020/21 La Liga season.

This is how Madrid should line up to face Barcelona this weekend.

Thibaut Courtois (GK) – Madrid could easily have conceded more than three goals in the middle of the week had it not been for the Belgian making a series of good saves. Likewise, the question marks over two of the goals perfectly complete the type of goalkeeper Courtois is.

Nacho (RB) – More used to a central role, but Mendy is better suited in his own preferred spot on the left, and it will take Nacho’s extra defensive work pace.

Sergio Ramos (CB) – Touch and get fit, but even if he’s at 25%, he still has better streaks than Eder Militao. You have to play.

Raphael Varane (CB) – Varane is undoubtedly one of the best central defenders in the world. No doubt, he’s also pretty desperate without his captain alongside him.

Ferland Mendy (LB) – One of the few players in this Madrid defense who did it OK against Shakhtar, as Mendy’s link up play down, the flanks are among the best we see in Europe.

Luka Modric (CM) – When in the races, there are few better midfielders in the division than Modric, whose eye for the spectacular was shown with his impressive effort in the midweek defeat.

Toni Kroos (CM) – German rarely plays badly. If he’s playing well, most of the time you see Madrid win matches, so unsurprisingly it was poor against Shakhtar. Hopefully everything is now out of your system.

Casemiro (CM) – The Brazilian is the steel in this Real Madrid midfield, and Zidane hates playing without him. You won’t play without it.

Marco Asensio (RW) – Needing to win the midfield battle at Camp Nou, Asensio’s comfort in the drifting infield will help increase the numbers.

Karim Benzema (ST) – Rested by the recent defeat, Benzema’s importance in everything Real does in an offensive sense was evident from his performance in the first half. It’s not Luka Jovic either, which is a huge advantage.

Vinicius Jr (LW) – The bond between him and Benzema is fundamental in the way Zidane wants his team to play. Add pace and deception in an area where backup options are hardly inspiring.