Real Madrid: 5 most important players heading into 2019-2020

Real Madrid have made a few splash signings this summer, and they look ready to bounce back with a vengeance in the 2019-2020 campaign.

After tumbling out of the Champions League against Ajax and finishing just third in La Liga, Real Madrid made sweeping changes in the summer. Not only did they reunite with manager Zinedine Zidane, but they also added three of the best young players in the world in Rodrygo Goes, Ferland Mendy and Luka Jovic.

The crown jewel of their transfer window, however, is none other than Eden Hazard. A nine-figure transfer, Hazard is arguably one of the world’s top five players and is money well-spent by Real. But where does he rank among the players most vital to Madrid’s success next season?

5. Luka Modric

Although Luka Modric tied striker Karim Benzema for the team lead with six assists in La Liga last season, it was a down year from the veteran Croatian midfielder. Clearly impacted by the fatigue of helping Croatia make it to the World Cup Final, Modric looked like anything but a Ballon d’Or winner during a forgettable 2018-2019 campaign.

That said, it would be unwise to discount Modric going forward. At his best, he is one of the most well-rounded midfielders in the world. Hard-working defensively and a genius passer in attack, Modric has big-game experience in spades and is one of the most technically sound players in all of world football.

If Real are to get back to the Champions League Final, they need Modric to be world-class at the center of the park. Though Isco is an elite playmaker and Marco Asensio has talent, Modric offers more as a metronomic passer and a covers more ground on defense. He usually drops off deeper than those two for Real, offering a great mix of the positive qualities that Toni Kroos, Isco and Casemiro bring to the table for this team.