Real Madrid's firepower second to none

Real's attack is their obvious strength, with players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema...

Real Madrid have had a quiet summer by their extravagant standards, particularly after their failure to complete a deal for David de Gea in time. But despite a low-key transfer window, Real still possess a huge wealth of talent the envy of every team in the world.

Real's attack is their obvious strength, with players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema needing almost no introduction, although with all three coming at the higher end, players like Isco may be preferred as a cheaper but still deadly option, especially now James Rodriguez has been ruled out for a month. But after Ronaldo's 5 goal haul at the weekend, he is impossible to ignore – you simply have to have him.

The strengths of Rafael Benitez's side aren't confined to the frontline, however. A huge array of creative midfielders from Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and new addition Mateo Kovacic all bringing assists and goals to the table, making them all great picks for a fantasy team - with forwards as deadly as Ronaldo and Bale, there's no question that Real's midfielders will quickly rack up points with their creativity.

Even in defence, Madrid are still well-stocked with players capable of not only winning clean sheets but also getting assists and even goals. Vice-captain Marcelo is coming off the back of a superb season, with Sergio Ramos also a regular goalscorer.

Real Madrid's ability to compete with Barcelona will depend on Benitez getting the most from a talented but occasionally imbalanced squad, but with so much attacking talent in their ranks, the vast majority of La Liga sides are likely to be simply overwhelmed by their firepower, as their 5-0 demolition of Real Betis in the first home game of the season Bernabeu saw. The same fate is likely to await their less illustrious Champions League group stage opponents, Malmo and Shakhtar Donetsk, although Paris Saint-Germain will expect to challenge for the important top spot.