Kroos out, Pedri in: The best Real Madrid-Barcelona combined XI

FT Desk

19 Mar 2022 15:44 GMT
5 min read

Real Madrid and Barcelona may not be at the very top of European football at the moment but there’s no denying that both clubs can still lay claim to some of the best players in the world.

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That will undoubtedly be on show for the entire world to see on Sunday night, when Real Madrid welcome Barcelona for the first el Clasico of 2022 to see which of these two stumbling giants are closer to getting back on their feet.

With Madrid sitting comfortably at the top of the Spanish league table, Xavi will be well aware of the need for him and his Barca side to upset the odds and take all three points from the match.

However, ahead of the all-important tie, let’s take a look at both squads and decipher which team has the best players.

Real Madrid and Barcelona combined XI

Between the sticks there’s no doubt that Madrid can lay claim to the better of the two shot-stoppers and potentially the best keeper in the world in the form of Thibaut Courtois.

Then in defence, Barca then get two back in the form of left-back Jordi Alba and Dani Alves most likely proving to be a much better pairing than Ferland Mendy and Dani Carvajal at Madrid.

However, while Barca do have some solid central defenders such as Gerard Pique and Ronald Araujo, Madrid’s current pairing of David Alaba and Eder Militao look far better this season.

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Midfield was always going to be a difficult area to split between both clubs, but when we throw them together we do get a perfect blend of experience and youthful talent.

Madrid playmaker Luka Modric remains one of European football’s most remarkable players, while Frenkie de Jong and Pedri probably beat Toni Kroos and Casemiro to the punch in this starting XI.

Despite spending a fortune on new forwards in January, only Ferran Torres can lay claim to being better than anything Madrid can offer on the right wing, while Vinicius Jr and Karim Benzema remain two of the most potent attacking duos in European football this season.