The best Real Madrid at the best time

The 2019/20 season looked to be heading in the wrong direction for Real Madrid, going right back to their 7-3 defeat to Atletico Madrid in pre-season and the 3-0 slump against PSG in France, yet Zinedine Zidane has steadied the ship, and we're seeing the best Real Madrid at the best time.

With the first Clasico of the season approaching, Zidane's prediction that his team would improve have come true, they are arriving at the Camp Nou in style.

Having gone 11 consecutive matches without tasting defeat, we saw the heroic spirit of Los Blancos that was present in Zidane's first spell in charge on Sunday against Valencia.

It appeared as though Los Merengues were heading for a defeat, but Karim Benzema's dramatic 95th minute equalise rescued a point for the visitors.

Late goals were a hallmark of the Real Madrid team that won three straight Champions Leagues under Zidane, and that ability has since returned, as has the incredible self-belief which naturally comes along with it.

The Camp Nou has been a factory of sadness for the Madrid giants for much of the millennium, yet the team heads to Catalonia on Wednesday with many reasons to believe a victory is possible.

They haven't lost in 11 matches, they have the front-runner for the Pichichi in Benzema, and they have one of the most resolute defences in Spain's top flight.

Casemiro will be fully rested for the clash in Barcelona after having sat out the draw in Valencia, and he will be crucial in Zidane's plan to stop Lionel Messi.

Individual form is also strong within the Real Madrid dressing room with a number of players heading into this behemoth fixture in their best run of form in recent memory.

In addition to the regular starters, there is also the presence of Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr and Isco, all of whom have impressed in different ways of late.

The only downside ahead of Wednesday's match is the loss of Eden Hazard, with the Belgian having just found his form in the capital.

He was Los Blancos' best player in the 2-2 draw with PSG, but Zidane is even managing to overcome the former Lille prodigy's absence.

The French coach tweaks his system regularly and we can expect a 4-4-2 system in the Camp Nou with Gareth Bale perhaps being utilised as a second striker alongside Benzema.

Barcelona are wobbling at the top of the table, they aren't the imperious champions that have won the Spanish title twice under Ernesto Valverde, and Zidane has to take advantage of that.