'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABv/aAAgBAQAAAAAWX//EABQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX/2gAIAQIQAAAAL//EABQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL/2gAIAQMQAAAAH//EACEQAAMAAAUFAQAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwAEBRIhBhQiQlFx/9oACAEBAAE/AF0nIilKrpends8xKEjLyk4IcuW9uVPHxsZjotqXq5vJNzFtqBgB+c4//8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDBFH/2gAIAQIBAT8AViTT/8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQAC/9oACAEDAQE/AHahf//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Atletico Madrid will go head-to-head with Real Madrid in the highly-anticipated Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday. The Madrid rivals will face off at the King Abdullah Sports City in Saudi Arabia in an encounter that will be remembered as the first time that two clubs who have won no domestic trophies in the previous season will play in the competition's final.
Diego Simeone's men will walk into the game with confidence after registering a thrilling 3-2 win over La Liga champions Barcelona in the semi-final on Thursday night. Koke, Alvaro Morata and Angel Correa were all on the scoresheet as the Madrid giants got the better of the Catalans. Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann also found the back of the net for the Blaugrana but were unable to rescue their side from defeat in the final minutes.
Meanwhile, Los Blancos established a 3-1 victory over Valencia in their semi-final fixture courtesy of goals from Toni Kroos, Isco and Luka Modric. Daniel Parejo scored a late consolation for Los Ches from the penalty spot but was unfortunately too late to command a comeback.
In this article, we take a look at the possible combined XI from the two Madrid powerhouses ahead of the exciting clash:
Note: Only players who are fit and available for the upcoming game have been considered.
Goalkeeper: Jan Oblak
Jan Oblak's inclusion into this combined XI was a no-brainer as the Slovenian has proven himself to be far more reliable than Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois. The Atletico Madrid goalkeeper's contribution to Diego Simeone's set-up has long been unacknowledged despite the consistency with which he has helped the side maintain their impenetrable defence.
The 27-year-old is a commanding figure between the sticks and is known not only for his obvious shot-stopping abilities but also for his skillful positioning and pin-point reflexes. It is no wonder that he has lifted La Liga's Zamora trophy five consecutive times with very little competition.
The former Benfica man secured his 100th clean sheet for Los Rojiblancos only in his 178th appearance for them. For perspective, it took Manuel Neuer 188 games to reach the same number, Gianluigi Buffon 222 games and Iker Casillas reached the century mark after 306 matches.
Oblak's position as Spain's best goalkeeper remains undisputed when one considers his numbers and one can see no reason why his place in this combined team can be disputed.
Centre-backs: Stefan Savic and Sergio Ramos
The centre-back pairing of Stefan Savic and Jose Gimenez has provided Atletico Madrid with much consolation following the departure of Diego Godin last summer. However, only the former makes it to this combined team on account of his consistency and his obvious defensive awareness.
Savic is widely known for his unparalleled aerial ability, with his stature having helped him tower over his opponents in congested areas several times. He possesses an innate reading of the game and boasts of defensive intelligence that helps him make clean interceptions and tackles.
The Montenegro international will make a great partner to Sergio Ramos, who is as versatile as a defender as he is controversial. The Real Madrid captain has infuriated many with his rough style of play but none can deny his status as one of the best defenders in world football.
The Spaniard is immensely astute at the heart of the Los Blancos defence and is not afraid of being aggressive if it benefits his team. He also has a keen eye for goalscoring, a quality that is unusual in most defenders and has already netted five goals in 23 games for the club this season.
Full-backs: Dani Carvajal and Renan Lodi
Dani Carvajal, who is one of the most under-rated players in the history of Real Madrid, joins Atletico Madrid's Renan Lodi as the guardians at the wings of this team. The Spain international has been a consistent member of the Los Blancos defence since his arrival in 2013 and has enjoyed a highly successful stint with the club. The 27-year-old is a technically-gifted defender who boasts of clean dribbling skills, accurate crossing and mercenary tackling ability.
Renan Lodi, on the other hand, has left an excellent impression at Atletico Madrid since he was brought from the obscurity of Brazilian football last summer. The 21-year-old replaced Filipe Luis at left-back and despite his lack of experience in Europe, he has validated himself to the Madrid faithful with his marauding performances.
The Sao Paulo-born youngster possesses both defensive aptitude and attacking impetus and is often seen charging forward to curl dangerous crosses for his teammates in the final third. Lodi has shown immense promise in his short spell at the Wanda Metropoliano and, for many reasons, deserves his place in this combined XI.
Midfielders: Koke, Toni Kroos, Casemiro, Luka Modric, Angel Correa
This combined XI deploys a five-man midfield with Koke, Toni Kroos, Casemiro, Luka Modric, and Angel Correa all players having been pivotal for their respective sides in the semi-finals on Thursday.
Atletico Madrid duo Koke and Correa, who have been deployed out wide on the flanks, both found the back of the net during their side's 3-2 win over Barcelona. Koke, who replaced Hector Herrera at half-time, made an immediate impact as he broke the deadlock just one minute into the second half, with Correa providing the assist. Correa, on the other hand, capped off his fantastic display against the Catalans by scoring the winner and Atletico’s third in the 86th minute.
Casemiro, who is considered one of the finest defensive midfielders in the game at present, walks into the midfield with élan. Not only is the Brazilian good at breaking up the opponents’ play, but he is also equally skilful in regaining possession and spraying passes from the deep. A lot of Real Madrid’s dangerous attacks start with the 27-year-old, who is an indispensable member of Zinedine Zidane’s Los Blancos squad.
Kroos and Modric have been the lynchpin of Real Madrid’s midfield for several years now, and their inclusion in the combined XI should not come as a surprise. Kroos, who scored from a corner in the semi-final win over Valencia, is one of the most underrated midfielders in the world, but his importance in the Zidane's set-up cannot be ignored or denied. The 30-year-old German has also been in decent form throughout the present campaign, scoring four times and setting up five more.
His midfield partner Modric, who could be heading towards the end of his trophy-laden spell at the Bernabeu, also found the net in the semi-final, proving that he’s not a finished product just yet. The Croatian may not be in the rich vein of form that saw him break the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly over the Ballon d'Or in 2018, but it’s safe to say that he still has a lot to offer to Los Blancos.
Striker: Alvaro Morata
With Karim Benzema missing the Spanish Super Cup through injury, and Luka Jovic struggling in front of goal since joining Real Madrid from Frankfurt last summer, Alvaro Morata is the sole striker of the combined XI.
After a slow start to the season, the Spaniard is back among the goals, scoring 10 times in 22 appearances in all competitions in the present campaign, with his latest strike coming in Atletico Madrid’s semi-final win over Barcelona.
Morata, who also provided the assist for Angel Correa’s winner, is not the most prolific striker in world football at the moment but given the lack of options, the Chelsea flop makes it to the team.
Benzema, who has scored 12 times in La Liga this season and is only one goal behind Lionel Messi in the top goalscorers list in Spain, would have been a sure starter in the team, if not for his injury concerns.
