This article is part of Football FanCast's Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers...

We are getting closer and closer to Real Madrid's big clash with PSG in the Champions League.

For Los Blancos and Zinedine Zidane, but also for their opposition, this will most likely be the biggest test of the ongoing 2019/20 campaign thus far.

Real recording two league wins and two draws is probably not what Zidane envisaged when he returned to Santiago Bernabeu but their 3-2 victory over Celta Vigo at the weekend appeared to point to an upturn in form.

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Beating the reigning Ligue 1 champions would go some way to proving the point.

Zidane and Raphael Varane faced the press just before the game and they both identified one man as their leader: Karim Benzema.

Here's what Varane said about the Frenchman, who's returning to his homeland for this rather special occasion:

"Of course [he's a leader]. With no Ramos and Marcelo, he's the oldest player in the team. He's been one of the leaders in the dressing room for many years now and has the squad's respect. He's a player who's in excellent form and is extremely important in terms of our attacking play. He's right in the midst of hitting maturity, is a fine all-round player and we need him in these kinds of games".

Zidane had pretty similar words to share about his forward and echoed Varane's sentiment:

"I always want Benzema in my team. He's up for every game, but perhaps he'll be even more up for it tomorrow night because he's from Lyon and given the rivalry between Lyon and PSG. He's a key player but so too are the others. We have to think as a team."

While Zidane did mention the importance of Real Madrid sticking together and performing as a team, he also mentioned Benzema as a "key player", something that seems to be a big theme of the ongoing season.

Rightfully so

Benzema has so far scored four goals and assisted one in the four games he's played in La Liga, and it's safe to say that, by Zidane's design or not, he has taken it upon himself to lead this team.

Seeing how Real Madrid will be without other veterans like Sergio Ramos, who's serving a suspension, and Marcelo, who's out injured at the moment, the 31-year-old will have to assume that key role himself and warrant the big words coming from his coach and his teammate respectively.

The Galacticos' season has been far from perfect so far but it's only the beginning and their path to redemption might start with a victory against one of Europe's best.

This also sounds like the best possible stage for Benzema to back up the praise he's been given and show he's ready to pull his team-mates over the line in their hour of need.