Real Madrid: The four strongest positions on the roster

Center back

Although Real Madrid don’t have the best depth at the center back position, they did sign a high-quality backup this summer in 22-year-old Eder Militao. The former FC Porto’s standouts minutes have been infrequent in his first season at the Bernabeu, but he has distinguished himself as a calm, smart defender with great range and above-average passing qualities. Militao is a part of the answer.

What puts center back on the list for Real, though, is the starting partnership of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane. There isn’t a better center back duo in world football, and there hasn’t been a tandem close over the past five years. These two national team captains have won three straight Champions League titles together and have everything you could ever hope for in a center back pairing.

Between the two of them, Ramos is the more aggressive center back. He is the one most likely to score and move forward into the box, and his penalties and free kicks show just how high his scoring and technical qualities are. But Varane is no slouch either, as his offensive work in the 3-0 win over Getafe shows.

Varane is the best defender in the world right now, with all due respect to Virgil van Dijk. He’s been playing at this level for longer than van Dijk and has so much big-game experience. There’s nothing that phases Varane, whose consistency is alarming.