Real Madrid general manager Jorge Valdano says this season's squad is stronger than the Galacticos. Valdano insists, have been learnt from what Steve McManaman described as the "Disneyfication" of a team who would fly to Asia so that Zinédine Zidane, Luís Figo, Ronaldo, the Brazilian, and David Beckham could juggle balls like seals.

"There was a group of 'grandisimos' but there was too large a gap between them and those on the bench," he admits.

"Now, before being a team of 11, we are a staff with 23 players and all of them are equally useful for the coach. If Benzema does not play then Van Nistelrooy can play, if Cristiano Ronaldo can't play, there's Higuaín. If Kaká does not play, there's Raúl. We have a deeper staff."

Valdano also insists every player signed is at Madrid for his value on the pitch - not what he can generate off it.

"People have forgotten that in our previous cycle, we won seven trophies in the first three years," Valdano also told The Times. "But experience has to serve a purpose and, yes, it's true, time weakened the project. That experience left us with one question - how many stars fit in one team?"

The answer?

"That depends on the personalities of the stars," he says with a smile.

"We have three challenges: to be the best, to Spanish-ify the team and to rejuvenate it."