Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo feature in Real Madrid and PSG combined XI but no room for Gareth Bale or Kylian Mbappe

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  • In a true clash of titans, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain will do battle in the Champions League on Wednesday night in a meeting that would make for a mouth-watering final – let alone a round-of-16 tie.

    Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, Gareth Bale, Edinson Cavani, Luka Modric, Marco Verratti – the superstars just roll off the tongue.

    But if push comes to shove, who would make the cut in a combined XI with the right balance? It’s not easy – and some controversial choices had to be made, but we’ve given it a crack …

    GK – Alphonse Areola

    An interesting selection to be made here as, if reports are to be believed, both clubs want bigger names between the sticks in the summer.

    But Alphonse Areola deserves to get the nod over Keylor Navas simply for the fact that he conceded just four times during the group stage, and has the fifth-most clean sheets in all of Europe this season.

    He has cost PSG occasionally with some questionable decision-making – but can also come up big.

    RB – Dani Carvajal

    Dani Carvajal is banned for the first leg at the Bernabeu and is a huge miss to the hosts, who may have to play Nacho on the flank given teenage right-back Achraf Hakimi’s loss of form.

    Ultimately it is his ill-discipline that cost him – suspended for deliberately seeking a booking against APOEL – but at his very best the Spaniard has no peers in his position.

    Dani Alves certainly gives him a run for his money, and, at 34 plays like he is five years younger while bombing down that right flank, but Carvajal has the edge defensively.

    CB – Sergio Ramos

    There is evidence that Sergio Ramos’ powers are waning as he tries to hold together a shaky Madrid defence that have conceded more times than mid-table outfits Getafe and Leganes in La Liga this season.

    On the other hand, he has been tested far more times this term than PSG captain Thiago Silva, who has definitely seen better days and has not been a regular starter for Brazil for more than two years.

    Nacho deserves an honourable mention as arguably Real’s best defender on form so far this year.

    CB – Marquinhos

    Marquinhos is the key factor in why Silva is on the outside looking in for the Selecao. He’s not just the heir apparent – he’s already taken the throne.

    The 23-year-old has moved his game on again this year and is a captain-in-waiting for the Parisians, having looked authoritative when taking the armband in the recent past.

    LB – Marcelo

    Layvin Kurzawa hit the back of the net three times during the Champions League group stages but still the nod has to go to Marcelo here.

    Kurzawa is not even guaranteed of his place at PSG due to the presence of summer signing Yuri Berchiche while Marcelo has had the left flank locked down in Madrid for years.

    At his best, he is the most lethal left-back in the world and his defending came on leaps and bounds last season – it’s time to rediscover that magic for when his team needs it the most.

    CM – Marco Verratti

    Ask most managers who they’d plump for from PSG sans Neymar and they’d go for Marco Verratti.

    His skillset is very rare in the modern game, someone who could dictate play from the base of midfield with crisp passing, an eye for a goal and a keen defensive mind.

    He bagged two goals and two assists during the Champions League group stages – this was the easiest pick of the lot.

    CM – Thiago Motta

    Given Toni Kroos’ poor form and Casemiro’s similarly up-and-down season at Real, a trusted, no-frills veteran gets the nod here.

    Thiago Motta has not returned from injury in time to take on Real and don’t underestimate how severe a blow that is.

    The Brazilian, even at 35, has fended off glamour names time and time again to line up alongside the more heralded Verratti. Don’t forget – he played no part in PSG’s 6-1 hammering at the hands of Barcelona last year. Coincidence? Perhaps not.

    CM – Luka Modric

    Luka Modric has not succumbed to the ravages of 2017/18 like his midfield partners Kroos and Casemiro.

    Yes, it’s not been a banner year for the Croatian so far, but his work in tight spaces and superglue dribbling is still a sight to behold.

    FW – Cristiano Ronaldo

    You thought Cristiano Ronaldo was past it? Forget that following his recent hat-trick against Real Sociedad.

    The Champions League group stages only ended two months ago and lest it slip your mind, he scored an outrageous nine goals. For a ‘struggling’ team no less.

    At 33 he may be getting old in football terms, but he’s still producing at a rate of knots.

    ST – Edinson Cavani

    Edinson Cavani belongs in an elite group with Harry Kane and Robert Lewadownski as the very best strikers in the world – how Real would love swapping out Karim Benzema’s services for the Uruguayan.

    And the quality of competition rebuttal won’t wash, either. The man is averaging a goal a game over his last two Champions League campaigns, and he’s hitting the back of the net just as frequently even if Neymar keeps taking goals away from him …

    FW – Neymar

    Ronaldo, Cavani and Neymar – that’s some battle of egos making up the front three. However, though their rivalry would undoubtedly spill over onto the pitch, there would still be plenty of goals to share.

    Neymar has plundered 19 and 11 assists from just 18 games in Ligue 1 this season and regardless of what you think of the French league, that’s astounding. Kylian Mbappe and Gareth Bale are great – but just not that great.

    1302 real and psg XI

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