OPINION: The familiar defence at Real Madrid

Ahead of the summer of 2019 there was a lot of talk about a new era at Real Madrid, an evolution if you will, yet as we approach the start of the LaLiga Santander season, there is a familiar feel about the defence at Valdebebas.

Despite this level of cohesion in the ranks, Los Blancos again looked disjointed in the pre-season friendly defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, and it was only the brilliance of Keylor Navas that kept the score respectable.

Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane and Marcelo all started the match, a combination that has been in place for seven years has seen some of the club's greatest ever triumphs arrive.

Yet, there is an argument to be made that this defensive line, which first line up to play together on March 9, 2014, have run their course as a unit.

Once you achieve so much success, there always needs to be a freshening of the decks, and despite the arrival of Eder Militao, that hasn't yet happened, as Jesus Vallejo discovered.

Carvajal is so consistent, he holds the position of right back completely to himself, he has seen off competition from Alvaro Arbeloa, Danilo and now Alvaro Odriozola, and only injuries stop him reaching his best level.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Marcelo on the left, with the Brazilian's sloppiness continuing to cost Los Merengues dearly.

At his best he was a driving attacking force under Zidane's watchful eye, yet Ferland Mendy will feel confident about taking the place from him.

Ramos and Varane are a fine pairing, bringing out the best in each other, yet with Pepe having left and Nacho Fernandez having failed to secure a spot in the centre, the duo continue to play together without much rotation.

Varane had an awful 2018/19 season, as many of France's World Cup winners did, but he continues to have Zidane's confidence, even if the pre-season performances have been poor.

It's unfortunate that this is the case, but in football your most recent results are your most important.

The three successive Champions League triumphs where this defensive setup ruled the continent are firmly in the rear-view mirror, the reality is that Los Blancos slumped to a first knockout round elimination at the hands of Ajax and finished 19 points behind Barcelona in LaLiga Santander.

Following on from this they've suffered humiliating results in pre-season, and that's what is in the forefront of people's minds, causing them to question whether the club can continue with what has been one of the greatest defensive structures in the modern game.