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Picking the forward line was far easier than the defence and midfield except for one position – the left forward. With injuries limiting Gareth Bale to only 16 starts and Karim Benzema to 20, they were out of the running even before their names came up.
And it’s not because they were poor when they did take to the pitch. It is just that the competition took the lead and raced away with it. Luis Suarez has 26 goals and 12 assists compared to Benzema’s 20 goals and 3 assists.
On the right, in spite of the knee injury that saw him miss a number of games, Lionel Messi has 22 goals and 10 assists. And Bale? The Welsh forward’s 15 goals and 9 assists still makes him one of the standout players of the season, but he’s still second to the Argentine magician.
Which brings us back to the left. Cristiano Ronaldo or Neymar? Both players have been outstanding for their respective clubs. Neymar stepped up in Messi’s absence and wreaked so much havoc that the no.10 was barely missed. Ronaldo took on the responsibility of grabbing goals when Benzema and Bale were missing.
So we just went with the stats on this one. Ronaldo has been involved in 37 goals while Neymar has had a hand in 31. And the Ballon d’Or runner-up has the knack of turning up in Clasicos. Hence, Cristiano Ronaldo gets the nod. Simply put, you can’t form this team without the league’s leading goalscorer.
Substitutes: Bravo, Mascherano, Alba, Kroos, Iniesta, Neymar, Benzema
Manager: Luis Enrique
