Real Madrid vs Liverpool combined XI for Champions League final

Just 10 more days remain before the highly anticipated UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool. The anxiety keeps kicking in as we move closer to the biggest game of the 2021/22 season.

Both teams have had a fantastic journey to the final, with Real Madrid having a journey filled with multiple twists and turns like a thriller film. The teams have had a good season in their respective nations, with Real Madrid having won the LaLiga and the Supercopa de Espana, while Liverpool has won the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup, and is hoping to win the Premier League on the final matchday.

Let us have some fun in the build-up to the big game, by making a combined XI of these two teams, which are two of the strongest teams in Europe.

GK Thibaut Courtois

I have absolutely no doubt about picking the goalkeeper for this lineup, and Thibaut Courtois has to be No.1 on this team. The Belgian is the best goalkeeper in Europe at the moment, and it is a shame that his exploits have gone unnoticed by the footballing fraternity, including the people that have voted for the Lev Yashin trophy. If anyone judges footballers based on their in-game performances, and not based on the league in which they play or their reputation on social media, it is pretty easy to conclude that Courtois is the best in the business.

Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson Becker is one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, and he is also having a brilliant season, having come back well from a tough 2020/21 season. He’s an incredible shot-stopper, but he misses out plainly because of Courtois’ brilliance. Even the stats show the same, with Courtois having a better save percentage and PSxG-GA when compared to Alisson.