MY ACCOUNT
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid renew their city rivalry as the Spanish titans clash in LaLiga on Sunday.
Real have found their form and are sitting pretty at the top of the table — 10 points above Atleti in fourth.
We have put together our combined XI in a 4-3-3 formation ahead of this exciting encounter — check it out below.
Goalkeeper: Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)
Both Madrid sides have excellent goalkeepers, but Jan Oblak just edges out Thibaut Courtois in this position.
Now enjoying his eighth season under Diego Simeone, the Slovenian international has kept five LaLiga clean sheets this season.
Oblak is one of the world’s best shot-stoppers and has proved himself on the biggest stage — he more than warrants his spot in goal for this combined XI.
Left-back: Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid)
Since his arrival from Lyon in the summer of 2019, Ferland Mendy has established himself as one of the elite LaLiga left-backs.
The Frenchman uses his pace to power his way up and down the left-hand side, providing crosses for Karim Benzema to attack.
Mario Hermoso has done well to rival Mendy in this area of the pitch but the 26-year-old wins out in this particular battle.
Centre-back: David Alaba (Real Madrid)
With Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos exiting the Bernabeu this summer, a lot of pressure was heaped on new arrival David Alaba to perform.
But with a wealth of experience and plenty of major honours during his time at Bayern Munich, few should be surprised to see Alaba stabilising the Madrid defence.
His commanding presence and high levels of energy earn him the first spot at centre-back in this combined XI.
Centre-back: Eder Militao (Real Madrid)
Alongside Alaba, 23-year-old Eder Militao has continued his impressive development in the heart of the Los Blancos backline.
The Brazilian has been a key member of Carlo Ancelotti’s side, particularly in Europe, where the 13-time champions conceded just three goals in six group stage games.
Contracted until 2025, the ex-Porto man is expected to be a defensive lynchpin in the Spanish capital for many years to come.
Right-back: Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid)
Our second Atletico player to make the cut comes in the form of ex-Tottenham ace Kieran Trippier.
The right-back has been linked with a move back to the Premier League in recent months, which is understandable when you consider Trippier’s remarkable work ethic and consistency.
Despite his current shoulder injury, he fends off Dani Carvajal to complete the defence in our combined XI.
Centre midfield: Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid)
Moving on to the midfield, Marcos Llorente comes in to provide some attacking intent to our side.
Despite filling in at right-back for the last few games in the absence of Trippier, Llorente is undoubtedly an excellent player who can add flair and creativity to the midfield.
He beats out the more defensive-minded Casemiro and Koke for a spot in our team.
Centre midfield: Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
Now in his 30s, Toni Kroos brings bags of experience to this team.
The German World Cup winner has scored three goals in all competitions this term, including a fine strike in Real’s crucial win against Inter Milan in their final Champions League group stage game.
Kroos’ vision and ability show no signs of waning and he remains a midfielder of the highest quality.
Centre midfield: Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
A Ballon d’Or and four-time Champions League winner, Luka Modric eases into our combined XI.
The Croatian has thrived during his time in Spain and although he appears to be reaching the twilight of his career, the 36-year-old still demonstrates his talent on a weekly basis.
Modric’s range of passing and interplay sets him aside from the rest — he is also an expert at running with the ball and we have seen him unleash some fantastic strikes in the past too.
Left wing: Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
Vinicius Junior has established himself as a top talent in Europe this season and his performances have proven he is beginning to fulfil his huge potential.
The 21-year-old has 10 goals in 16 LaLiga appearances and has scored twice in the Champions League.
The Brazilian’s flair and unpredictability make him a formidable opponent for defenders — he beats the likes of Yannick Carrasco and Rodrigo De Paul to the left-wing position in this side.
Right wing: Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)
Our fourth and final Atletico player to feature in our combined XI is World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann.
The French forward made the switch back to the Wanda Metropolitano from Barcelona on an initial loan deal in the summer following an unproductive spell at the Camp Nou.
But the prolific finisher has rediscovered his form under Simeone, scoring seven goals in all competitions since his return.
Striker: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema would feature in almost every combined XI across Europe due to his excellent goalscoring record over the last two seasons.
Benzema, 33, has scored 12 goals in 15 LaLiga appearances this campaign and has five goals in as many games in the Champions League.
The Frenchman is one of the deadliest strikers in Europe and will thrive in this combined XI, linking up with Vinicius and Griezmann.
Do you agree with our line-up? Let us know by tweeting @LiveScore.
