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Barcelona vs Real Madrid; there is absolutely no match that gets bigger than this when it comes to club rivalries. It is a match that literally garners a crowd of a billion plus viewers worldwide.
Over the years El Clasico has only grown in stature with the world's best signing for one of two La Liga superpowers. And the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry and the Catalan Referendum have only served to exacerbate the animosity between the two fans.
The 2017/18 Liga title race is over but Barcelona will not be receiving a guard of honour with relations between the clubs strained. But what if we made a combined XI of the two teams based on this season's performances? Who makes the cut and, more importantly, who misses out?
Formation: 4-3-1-2
Goalkeeper
Jan Oblak may be La Liga's best goalkeeper at the moment but Barcelona's Marc-André ter Stegen is not far behind. The German has kept 18 clean sheets (Oblak has 21) and hasn't allowed second-choice goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen a whiff of the starting lineup.
Ter Stegen has played each and every minute of the La Liga campaign this season - 34 games so far - making 78 saves.
In contrast, Real Madrid shot-stopper Keylor Navas has struggled with the team in the league. He has only 6 clean sheets this season. The Costa Rican goalkeeper has struggled in the box, especially when dealing with crosses.
Substitute: Keylor Navas
Full-Backs
The right-back slot was a tough call between Real's Dani Carvajal and Barca's Sergi Roberto. Carvajal has been effective for the Blancos at right-back and his importance was underlined by the fact how much Real missed him when he was sidelined with an injury.
However, there is no denying that Sergi Roberto has been the better full-back. The 26-year-old isn't even a specialist in that position but he benched Nelson Semedo even before his injury because he was perfect for Barca's system.
His forward runs have been crucial to Barcelona's attacks and Roberto even has a goal and six assists to show for it.
At left-back, it was an even tougher battle but Marcelo shines through in the end. Both he and Jordi Alba have an almost similar number in the goals and assists columns but the Brazilian is a better fit for this formation with the way he plays on the left flank.
Real have played narrow formations for the majority of the season and it is Marcelo's runs that provide width to stretch defences and even give Real an extra body in attack. His ability to overlap or cut in when Ronaldo goes wide makes him arguably the best attacking full-back in Europe at the moment.
Substitute: Jordi Alba
Centre-Backs
If Samuel Umtiti had been focused throughout the season and not had his concentration derailed by contract talks, he would have been a shoo-in for the centre-back position. Unfortunately, those talks had a negative effect on his performances and he has been in poor form since then.
Which is why Gerard Pique earns a spot in the lineup. The Spaniard has made just 26 tackles and 26 interceptions in La Liga this season.
But he has also made 109 clearances in all while also blocking 24 shots on goal. The 31-year-old is now the bonafide leader at the back and has ably stepped into Carles Puyol's shoes.
And partnering him is his international teammate Sergio Ramos. Raphael Varane has done well this season to warrant a spot but Ramos has simply found another level this year and has been very consistent at the back.
Usually, by this time of the season, Ramos finds himself in trouble by getting one yellow card too many but he has only received 5 yellow cards so far. Of course, the two red cards have prevented him from playing every game but that is typical Ramos.
His reading of the game has vastly improved and he has been very effective when it comes to one-on-one or even two-on-one situations.
Substitute: Raphael Varane
Midfield
Picking a three-man midfield from the list of world-class midfielders is no easy task - more so when the two teams are Real Madrid and Barcelona. Both teams have terrific midfielders who have no equal when they are on song.
But cull a few, we must. In central midfield, we have gone with Sergio Busquets. The Barcelona midfield metronome beats Casemiro to the slot thanks to his all-round displays in La Liga this season.
Of course, Casemiro has his merits. But in a formation which is midfield heavy, a calm and composed passer that can position himself better when they are off the ball is a better fit than a tough-tackling midfielder whose rash decisions have cost Real this season.
Alongside Busquets are two Real midfielders who run the show fo Zinedine Zidane - Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. The two midfielders are rarely praised because they always do the simple things right so well.
Kroos has even managed 4 league goals this season (his best return in a white shirt) while Modric has 5 assists (his best return since 2013/14). But their job isn't simply scoring goals or providing assists.
Be it dribbling past a crowded midfield, set-pieces (23% of Real's goals have been from set-pieces), linking defence and attack - the two midfielders have been consistent throughout the season.
Substitutes: Casemiro, Ivan Rakitic
Attack
Since we've opted for a 4-3-1-2, the midfielder we've picked for the player in the hole is none other than Andres Iniesta. The Spaniard will be playing his final Clasico and deserves a guard of honour from both sides for his contribution to Spanish football.
Although not typically his role, this is no typical XI. Iniesta is in this XI simply because he deserves a standing ovation one last time in a Clasico from both Real and Barcelona fans. And if this were an actual XI, feeding the two forwards ahead of him would be the easiest thing he's ever done.
Because, the two forward who would make a combined XI are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Both teams have played a 4-4-2 (or one of its variants with two forwards up top) and both players have played narrower than their traditional wide positions this season as a result.
Ronaldo no longer cuts in from the left wing while Messi no longer does the same from the right after Neymar's departure prompted a change in Ernesto Valverde's plans.
Messi leads the Pichichi race with 32 goals while Ronaldo's suspension at the start of the season and struggles until December sees him further behind with 24 goals. Nevertheless, they are the top two goalscorers in La Liga this season and no coach in the world would bench either if they had them in the squad.
Luis Suarez just misses out while Karim Benzema's poor form this season sees him fail to make the squad altogether.
Substitutes: Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho
