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Come Saturday night, the football world’s attention will turn to Estadio Santiago Bernabeu for a much anticipated 229th El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. It is still early into the season but it will be a match that neither can afford to lose, for obvious reasons. Both teams were pipped by Atletico Madrid to the La Liga title last time around; however, these two giants have entered this season with some new faces in their teams as they look to get back on top. With around 24 hours to go for the kickoff in Madrid, we take a look at the combined XI for both teams. The players that are unavailable for the game have been overlooked for the combined XI. Formation: 4-4-2Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author and do not reflect those of the site.
#1 Goalkeeper
Claudio Bravo
After moving to Barcelona on a €12 million move from Real Sociedad, Chilean keeper Claudio Bravo has enjoyed a fine start to the season under the bar. He has appeared in all eight of Barcelona’s league matches so far and has not let in a single goal, thus setting a new La Liga record for minutes played without conceding.
Of course, it can be said, the opposition Bravo has had to face so far are nowhere near the quality that he will have to deal with in the Bernabeu. Nevertheless, he has done considerably well when called to action, making 13 saves in the league so far. Coach Luis Enrique will be hoping for Bravo to take this form to El Clasico although he will admit that this match is a different prospect altogether.
#2 Defenders
Dani Alves
Despite a horrendous World Cup exit, Brazil’s Dani Alves has been able to turn in consistently good displays in the La Liga. The 31-year old makes this XI quite easily having outperformed his Madrid counterpart Dani Carvajal. He has started and played ninety minutes in six league matches this season, and has also managed to register two assists after his darting runs forward. Defensively too, he has been great, stopping attacks on the flanks with ease and helping protect Barca’s clean sheet record. Prior to the start of the season, there were reports of him being unhappy but his performaces have put that behind.
Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos is another player who had a World Cup to forget. Spain’s 1-5 defeat to the Netherlands saw Ramos at his worst, tormented by the Dutch attack. Initially it seemed he hadn’t recovered from it, as he suffered a shaky start to the club season with Real Madrid. However, after 8 games, Madrid are almost back to their best and so is Ramos. He was in the starting lineup for all but one of Los Blancos’ games so far, helping keep three clean sheets. In the 2-0 win over Cordoba in August, Ramos put in a man-of-the-match performance. He also has a goal to his name this season and will look to add to it in El Clasico, especially in dead-ball situations where he is quite dangerous with his head.
Jeremy Mathieu
With the retirement of Carles Puyol and the dip in form of Gerard Pique, Barcelona were desperate to strengthen their backline for the new season. 30-year old Jeremy Mathieu wasn’t the expected reinforcement, but whether the fans liked it or not, he signed from Valencia in a surprise move. Even more surprisingly, he has been a calm and composed presence in the centre of defence as Barca experience one of their best league starts of all time. Apart from his defensive duties, his tendency to dribble and take shots has been seen this season. Will there be a long range stunner tomorrow?
Jordi Alba
At the left-back position, we have Jordi Alba who pips Real’s Marcelo to this spot. Alba suffered along with Ramos during the World Cup, where he ended up taking his ire out on a journalist after Spain’s group stage exit. But back at Barcelona for the new season, he is all smiles again. Along with the rest of the Barca backline, Alba has been very impressive in keeping out opposition attacks, particularly in games like the 5-0 thrashing of Levante, where he had an assist. Three days later, facing Malaga, Barca dropped points for the first time this season but still kept a clean sheet and Alba was widely considered the best player on the pitch.
#3 Midfielders
Neymar
Neymar was expected to have a long layoff after his verterbra was fractured at the World Cup but he has returned sooner than expected and in blistering form. Currently Barca’s top scorer in the league with eight goals, he seems to be on a mission to redeem himself. After a trophyless first season at the Camp Nou, this may well be the year he has been waiting for. In the absence of Luis Suarez, Neymar has combined brilliantly with Lionel Messi to take Barca to the top of the league with some outstanding displays. He has benefitted from playing narrower than a normal winger, scoring in 5 of the 7 games he has played. The highlight was undoubtedly the hattrick he netted against Granada in the 6-0 demolition last month.
Luka Modric
It’s only been two years since Luka Modric arrived at Real Madrid, but he’s already one of the senior most players in a team that contains many new faces. With Xabi Alonso’s departure and Sami Khedira not being preferred by Ancelotti, Modric has been running the show from midfield for Los Blancos, alongside Toni Kroos. It’s not exactly the best of partnerships, when looking at the defensive record, but attacking wise there are few better ones. The Croat has contributed with a goal and two assists as Real look to shake off their bad start. He has also tracked back to aid a defense that hasn’t been very convincing.
Ivan Rakitic
Facing Modric in the centre of the park tomorrow will be his countryman Ivan Rakitic. Rakitic, who signed from Sevilla, was seen as a replacement for an ageing Xavi and it must be said that he has fulfilled that role pretty well. He has exhibited superb accuracy in his passes, thereby contributing to Barca’s attacks. Up against Elche, in the first game of the season, his superb pass over the defence was finished off by Munir. It was a sign of vision for great passes a la Xavi. Rakitic has also scored two goals so far, one of which was a brilliant strike from outside the box against Levante. The task now is to ensure that he comes out on top against Modric tomorrow.
James Rodriguez
You don’t win the World Cup Golden Boot and then go into the new season without any pressure. The same can be said for James Rodriguez. With a pricetag of €80 million, there would always be massive pressure on him to perform. Eight games into the season, after a slightly poor start, the Colombian is slowly settling into his new surroundings. Replacing Angel Di Maria was definitely going to be difficult, especially when your manager himself suggests so. But Rodriguez has been determined to make his own mark on the team, in his own ways. With two goals and three assists, already, who knows, he may just rise to the occasion on Saturday to properly announce himself.
#4 Forwards
Cristiano Ronaldo
What would Real Madrid do without this man? 15 goals in 7 games: that’s some stat. But even the stat doesn’t tell the full story. Cristiano Ronaldo has been simply phenomenal in the first couple of months of this season, even for his own standards (and that’s saying something!). Every single match he has played has seen him score. Here’s another stat: Three hat-tricks in four games. There are many more such figures that can be used to explain his contribution to the Real cause but then all those stats will be obliterated by the same man himself once he plays another game. What a goal machine.
Lionel Messi
New manager, new tactics, new position: no problem. Lionel Messi is consistently showing everyone around him that there’s no stopping him. Play him anywhere on the pitch, it doesn’t matter – that’s the message he’s giving out. Now playing from a slightly deeper role, La Pulga too has superb statistical backing to show his contributions. If Ronaldo has goals, Messi has goals and assists. His stats read: 8 matches, 7 goals and 7 assists. All these point to one thing: Telmo Zarra’s all-time La Liga scoring record may well be broken on Saturday night.
Now imagine Luis Suarez playing up front with him. Ah, bliss.
