Real Madrid is headed to America! The Spanish club is on a pre-season tour in the United States of America, where they will face three teams in stadiums around the country, the first of which will be FC Barcelona in Las Vegas.
The last encounter between the two heavyweights ended in a 4-0 setback for Real Madrid, who then went on to win everything. This game, again, I’m not sure how much of a friendly it is going to be; after all, it is El Clasico, one of the most prominent football games on the planet, and every match is a question of honour and prestige.
Both clubs will be in Las Vegas with their finest squads, and which team will triumph will be determined at the conclusion of 90 minutes. What we can do now is construct the best and strongest combined XI of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, with the top players from each side on each position on the sheet. Let’s dive right in and start with the goalkeeper without further ado.
Goalkeeper – Thibaut Courtois
With all due respect to Ter Stegen, choosing Courtois just made more sense, and you would agree even if you were a Barcelona supporter. There is little to no debate as to why you would favour the German Barcelona keeper over the Belgian, given the two contenders’ seasons over the last several years have been entirely opposites, as everyone is aware.
Thibaut Courtois was easily the finest goalkeeper in the world last season, winning several matches for Real Madrid and capturing the Champions League final on his own. Again, Ter Stegen is an excellent goalkeeper, but he is simply not on pace with Courtois at the moment.
The Belgian goalkeeper enjoyed a world-class season, and he is likely to finish near the top of the Ballon d’Or rankings and win the Yashin trophy by a wide majority. In terms of stats, Courtois continues to outperform Ter Stegen, with considerably superior PSxG-GA data.
Right Back – Dani Carvajal
Dani Carvajal, like Courtois, is the only player in his position. Sergio Dest, the sole Barcelona player who stands in his way, has yet to have a standout performance for FC Barcelona and had a mediocre season, to say the least. The Catalan club touted the American fullback as the new Dani Alves, but quite ironically they ultimately had to bring a 38-year-old Dani Alves back to fill Dest’s spot.
In contrast, Real Madrid’s right back has long held the position in his dominance, and last season was no different. His resurgence following the disastrous PSG first leg game is commendable yet undervalued, much like his whole career. A quality defender, a consistent worker, and a needle-sharp crosser, Carvajal has all it takes to outperform major players at the position, let alone Dest.
Centre Back – Ronald Araújo
Ronald Araujo is the first and certainly not the last Barcelona player to reach this list. Araujo is perhaps the finest product of Barcelona’s new generation of players who rose to prominence during the club’s difficult transitioning period. The 23-year-old has a promising future ahead of him, and flashes of it have already begun to emerge.
The Uruguayan defender has tremendous talents for his age, defying the reality that he is just in his early twenties. Araujo understands exactly how to withstand and recover from a high-pressure scenario, and his ability to distribute the ball to players on either flank is something he likes to brag about multiple times throughout a game.
To be honest, he has no competition from Real Madrid for the role. In this combined XI roster, he does not face off against any part of the David Alaba-Eder Militao partnership; the reason why will become evident in the subsequent selections for the defenders’ section.
Centre Back – Antonio Rüdiger
Real Madrid’s new acquisition and German ace Antonio Rudiger makes his case to team up with Araujo. Rudiger’s flexibility, having played in both a three-defender system at his old club Chelsea and a classic four-man defence for the German national team, elevates him beyond any other player in this position.
Because of his adaptability to fit into a system based on the demands of the squad, he is well-versed in how to scan and cover gaps prone to exploitation by the opponent, which is something his opponents for the position from both Barcelona and Madrid lack.
His challenge for the job is rather surprising, given it is not a Barcelona player, but rather a Real Madrid player, Eder Militao. In the pecking order, Rudiger has surpassed Militao (something we may also see at Real Madrid next season). This may have you wondering if Araujo was chosen over David Alaba, and the answer is no, which leads us to the next position in this division, left back.
Left Back – David Alaba
The last selection in the defenders’ section, and there could not be a finer player to round up this area. David Alaba has made an effect at Real Madrid that few others have. It was the Austrian’s first season in the royal white, yet it seemed totally different. a leader on the pitch who, in addition to his strong defence, contributes something more to driving and propelling the team ahead.
However, we do not use him in his normal centre-back position, but rather at left-back, which is another side he is quite experienced covering at times and is not something new in his repertoire. In numerous last season metrics, including tackle % and pressure success rate, among others, Alaba clearly outperformed Barcelona’s Jordi Alba by a wide margin.
Furthermore, although his Spanish rival had a bad season with multiple downplays following the loss of his teammate Lionel Messi from Barcelona, the Austrian was consistently a crucial part of the Champions League winning side.
Central Midfielder – Luka Modric
Writing this specific segment for Luka Modric, in my opinion, is absurd. In my perspective, there is seriously and very literally no rivalry in the game for the Croatian from both teams and, perhaps, from throughout Europe. Real Madrid’s number 10 merely rushes in, defies the odds, proves the unprovable, and departs as if nothing happened; he makes his job appear like the easiest job in the world and illustrates with every stride on the field why he is the greatest midfielder of this generation.
Some could argue that Pedri from Barcelona is Modric’s main rival, but with all due respect to Pedri, who is a great player, there is just no comparison, and Pedri’s comparison to Modric is off the charts for the teenager, who despite his brilliance still has much to show and has yet to achieve significant success at his club.
Defensive Midfielder – Franck Kessié
Franck Kessie, the former AC Milan midfielder who had an unbelievable season with the new scudetto champions, was one of FC Barcelona’s multiple huge transfer moves this summer. There are various attributes that Kessie possesses that make him a tough competitor for this position.
A physically imposing midfielder who ranks above Sergio Busquets and Frenkie De Jong in his camp and competes with Casemiro in the department. The Ivorian national is a competent box-to-box defensive midfielder who also poses an extraordinary danger in front of the opposing goal, distancing him from Madrid’s Brazilian tank.
Kessie scored 6 spectacular goals in 31 Serie A matches, an incredible feat for a defensive midfielder who is already good in his primary responsibilities. The difference between Casemiro and Kessie may be minor, yet it is sufficient to propel the latter to a higher level, on the basis of their performances last season.
Central Midfielder – Toni Kroos
Toni Kroos is called into question about his contribution at Real Madrid, and each time he responds appropriately to a question that should not have been asked in the first place because Kroos’ impact on a team is so subtle but so valuable that it frequently goes unnoticed and therefore underestimated.
Toni Kroos, as previously said by Casemiro, oversees it all in the Real Madrid squad, from pressing techniques to movement tempo. His function as an underlying playmaker combined with defensive duties to establish a chain between defence and offence has been demonstrated several times, and he maintains his levels above those of other Barcelona players in this position.
Right Wing – Ousmane Dembélé
Barcelona’s new head coach, Xavi, has resurrected numerous players in his team, including Ousmane Dembele, who appears to have risen above the shackles of an ongoing injury crisis to showcase his top form. The Frenchman has been able to demonstrate his abilities after a series of injuries, and Blaugrana supporters are now optimistic that Dembele’s Dortmund version will eventually be unleashed.
The right-wing in Real, on the other extreme, was certainly the team’s weakest link, which is why there is virtually no one to fight Dembele for the position, and even if there was, he couldn’t overcome the brilliance he exhibited under Xavi, however brief it may have been.
Centre-Forward – Robert Lewandowski
Barcelona just confirmed the purchase of Polish sensation and one of the finest strikers in the world Robert Lewandowski, who is now anticipated to make his debut in Blaugrana colours against Real Madrid. As the only player who may outperform him, Karim Benzema is not anticipated to appear in the friendly match, therefore the former Bayern Munich star easily makes this combined XI.
Don’t be misled; Lewandowski made his reputation here for more than just that. The athlete has been at a world-class level for numerous seasons and won the sextuple with his former club only two years ago.
His versatility and deadly finishing in front of the greatest goalkeepers are admirable qualities that immediately distinguish him from everyone who challenges him for the spot.
Left Wing – Vinicius Jr.
Vinicius Jr was signed by Real Madrid at the age of 18 for a hefty sum of 45 million euros, and it might be claimed that after an understandably sluggish start, the player has now shined to prominence to warrant his price tag, and it is just the beginning for the Brazilian with a great stretch to measure.
Vinicius certainly ranks higher than any Barcelona left winger, and moreover, any left winger in the world at this time. The fact that he is only 22 years old and has a Champions League trophy, which he earned with tremendous contribution, particularly the solitary goal in the tournament’s final, is patently ridiculous.
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Vinicius is also likely to finish towards the top of the Ballon d’Or standings, and there is no denying that he enjoyed a world-class season, hopefully, the first of many.