8 Real Madrid Players to Watch out for in 2015 Pre-Season

Real Madrid's pre-season schedule gets under way on July 18, with Los Blancos taking part in the International Champions Cup in Australia along with Manchester City and Roma. 

After two games at the colossal Melbourne Cricket Ground, Real Madrid will then travel to China to join AC Milan and Inter Milan for the second stop in a three-part pre-season tour that will eventually conclude with matches against Tottenham and Bayern Munich in the Audi Cup in Munich in early August. 

Interestingly, the pre-season matches represent significant opportunities for a number of Real Madrid's players, with new manager Rafa Benitez expected to experiment with different systems and lineups to those the team has used over the past two seasons. 

Thus, the tour is a chance for rarely used players to stake their claim, and it's also a chance for established stars to reinforce their worth to a new boss who has new methods and new ideas. 

Across the following slides, we examine eight Real Madrid players to watch closely this pre-season.

Daniel Carvajal

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After a fine season at right-back in 2014-15, Daniel Carvajal shouldn't really be entering this summer's pre-season under any pressure at all. And yet he is. 

With club president Florentino Perez forking out a massive €31.5 million for Brazilian right-back Danilo, Carvajal has a direct competitor at his position who's exactly the same age and very similar in terms of playing style. 

Logically, it should be Danilo who's under pressure to justify his hefty price tag, but it's that very price tag that could force Rafa Benitez to start the club's new signing ahead of the impressive incumbent when the 2015-16 season begins. After all, Perez won't want his new star on the bench.

Thus, Carvajal has the pre-season to put together a compelling case and make it extremely difficult for Benitez to relegate him behind the expensive Brazilian. 

Lucas Vazquez

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After a super-impressive season at Espanyol, Lucas Vazquez has returned to Real Madrid after the club activated the buy-back clause in his contract. 

A talented, hard-running and disciplined right-winger, the Galician is the sort of wide man who would likely appeal to Rafa Benitez as a versatile and reliable secondary option. 

Inclined to hug the sideline and possessing strong dribbling skills, Vazquez can add width to Real Madrid's attack and would give opponents a different look if used behind Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez or Isco. 

Of course, starts will still be scarce for the Madrid academy product next season, but it's hoped he can replicate the sort of role once carried out by Jose Callejon. 

His pre-season appearances, therefore, could tell us a lot about how Benitez intends to use him. 

Casemiro, Lucas Silva and Asier Illarramendi

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Casemiro, Lucas Silva and Asier Illarramendi: three relatively recent purchases and three holding midfielders, all competing for probably just one spot. 

The latter two spent the 2014-15 season largely on the bench at Real Madrid, as Carlo Ancelotti preferred the attacking talents of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, James Rodriguez and Isco. But Rafa Benitez is expected to give the team's midfield a greater defensive edge, perhaps opening the door for one of the pair. 

Yet, the return of Casemiro from Porto means Illarramendi and Silva are no longer just competing with each other. It's now a three-way tussle. 

Pre-season should give us a good indication of which man Benitez prefers. 

Kiko Casilla?

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Real Madrid's goalkeeping situation has been a sticky mess for some time, and with each week that passes this summer, it continues to twist and turn in unforeseen directions. 

When the offseason began, David De Gea's arrival felt inevitable, with the Manchester United man expected to supplant Iker Casillas. But United are standing firm at present, while Casillas is preparing to depart anyway, per Marca. 

Additionally, Keylor Navas is currently nursing an Achilles injury, and Marca also suggests the Costa Rican is growing tired of the goalkeeping saga at the Bernabeu. 

Thus, Real Madrid might be turning to an option few had considered, with Sport in Catalonia reporting Los Blancos are looking to bring Espanyol's Kiko Casilla back to the Bernabeu. If De Gea's anticipated arrival continues to be delayed, Casilla could possibly start the pre-season as Benitez's No. 1, if he makes the switch to the Bernabeu. 

Who saw that coming?

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale

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It's undoubtedly the issue that will be most fascinating to watch in the early stages of Real Madrid's season: How Rafa Benitez will utilise Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. 

In 2014-15, all the evidence showed Ronaldo is evolving into a highly efficient No. 9, and there's certainly logic in deploying the Portuguese at the head of the team's attack. 

Doing so would allow Bale to move over to his preferred left side, giving the Welshman the chance to burn past defenders with his athleticism instead of having to turn into congestion when starting from the right. 

However, there's a feeling Ronaldo could be reluctant to start down the middle, preferring the freedom and space that starting on the left gives him. 

As such, Real Madrid's pre-season will be extremely intriguing for this matter alone.