Pick of the crop for Benitez

Posted Sunday, June 14, 2015 by Marca.com

Real Madrid have no intention of going back to the drawing board with new signings this season. The quality and age of the players in the current squad inspire continued confidence in the main group that has dominated over the past two years.

Rafa Benítez will head up a team that has good legs, an average age of 25.6, making it one of the youngest starting eleven line ups in La Liga. The average age of the regular 'Los Blancos' starters stands at 26.7, dropping to 25.8 if Iker Casillas is substituted for David de Gea.

Few signings with a focus on youth and quality
If the starting line-up is young, the squad average is even more so, not even reaching 26. Specifically, the 23 players currently on the Real Madrid payroll have an average age of 25.64 between them. This youth reflects the new 'Los Blancos' transfer policy, which over the past two years has opted for players with promise for the future. This has delivered Benítez a great team, one at its prime. There will not, therefore, be much call for adjustments to be made.

Paco de Miguel, key to maximising the current squad
One of the reasons the Board of Directors decided on a complete overhaul of the coaching staff was the issue of player fitness going into the final part of the last two seasons. Numerous injuries and fatigue in key games have led to Real Madrid dispensing with Ancelotti's services in favour of Benítez's. The Real coach comes in with Paco de Miguel, a fitness coach with a reputation for bringing out the best of every squad he works with. At Real, he will be overseeing a group of young powerhouses.

Looking after Cristiano Ronaldo, who turns 31 in February
One of the new coaching team's objectives is to manage Cristiano Ronaldo and extract the best possible performance from the Portuguese star. He has consistently been the squad's most utilised player every season and Benítez plans to keep it that way but with a focus on improving his performance.