Real Madrid vs Roma, Pre-season 2015: Projected lineups

It's Real Madrid's first match of the 2015 pre-season, so no matter what Benítez ultimately decides to do, there's a long way to go for every player to earn a starting spot for the upcoming season. Still, it will be interesting to see what the coach has in mind in terms of tactics, positioning and gameplan. Some reports indicated that he wants to play with a 4-2-3-1 formation in which Kroos and Modric would play in the midfield, that being the lightest midfield in Benítez's career as a coach.

Bale could finally be moved out of the right-wing, a change most fans were anticipating and eager to see. Carlo Ancelotti never played Bale out of that right flank and the Welsh never seemed to comfortable with his position. Will he be used as a left-winger or will have have freedom behind the striker? Will Benítez still use Cristiano Ronaldo and Benzema together once James is back? Where will they play? It will be fascinating to see what the future holds for this squad.

Real Madrid Projected Lineup: Keylor Navas, Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Kroos, Modric, Ronaldo, Bale, Isco, Benzema.

That will be Benítez's lineup if he starts his strongest available team right now. If he mixes his squad, nobody can predict his first starting lineup as Real Madrid's manager,