'%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/wgARCAAFAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAX/2gAIAQEAAAAAXD//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG/9oACAECEAAAAC3/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAEDEAAAACf/xAAfEAACAgIBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEABEFBhMhQqL/2gAIAQEAAT8A5yarI9WmtTtCSCsHliYLISrFSQdeN4OluCUBTSZyPZnGz85//8QAGhEAAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwQAAQIRIv/aAAgBAgEBPwB144r4y1P/xAAYEQEAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAAEDEf/aAAgBAwEBPwDbVhcNz//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Midfield: Luka Modric, Casemiro, Toni Kroos
Much like central defence, midfield is another area of the pitch that is packed with several options to choose from. N'Golo Kante appears to be back to his best after an injury-riddled 2019/20 campaign, and has put in a some brilliant performances for the Blues this year.
Jorginho is another top choice after a great season so far, along with his teammate Mateo Kovacic, who has been ruled out of the game due to a hamstring injury.
For all their merits, Kante and Jorginho are unfortunately up against the best midfield in world football for a place in this combined XI. Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and Casemiro — Real Madrid's iconic midfield trio that helped them win three successive UCLs under Zidane — still reign supreme.
Kroos and Modric have been instrumental in Real Madrid's UCL campaign so far with a string of magnificent displays with their backs against the wall, given that they were drawn in one of the most difficult groups of the 2020/21 edition and risked an embarrassing group stage elimination.
The German, in particular, is arguably one of the first names on the teamsheet and is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career at Real Madrid.
No player in the UCL so far has registered more passes into the final third (112), progressive passes (90), touches (935), and Kroos has created more chances than any player bar Juan Cuadrado with 25, one less than the Colombian. He also has more assists (ten) in all competitions, more than any midfielder across both Real Madrid and Chelsea.
Despite turning 35, Modric has also been at the top of his game and has been as vital as ever to Zidane's men. The Croat ran the show across both legs against Atalanta in the Round of 16 and was brilliant against Liverpool as well.
No active player in the competition can better his 68 progressive carries from the middle of the park, and his tallies of 73 passes into the final third, 60 progressive passes, and 786 touches are only second to Kroos among the UCL's final four sides. Modric also has three assists to his name, the joint second-highest in the competition, with only Kevin De Bruyne registering more (four).
The two have been excellently supported by Casemiro, who was arguably the Blancos' most crucial player against Liverpool. The Brazilian helped shield their second-string defence of Nacho and Eder Militao to perfection and was the Man of the Match during the second leg against Liverpool for a brilliant all-round display.
Overall, he has been a titan in midfield for Zidane's side, and has often been a one-man wall in front of the Blancos' defence. It is harsh to leave out a player of N'Golo Kante's stature and form, but his Real Madrid counterpart Casemiro has been infallible so far across all fronts this season and is set to anchor this combined XI's midfield.
Also read: 5 Best deep-lying playmakers in the world this season (2020/21)
