On Saturday, Real Madrid and Barcelona will compete in Catalunya, but which players from the two incredibly brilliant squads would start for the other?

Has there ever been a Clasico with more evenly matched teams? After ten games in the La Liga season, there is just one point separating Barcelona and Real Madrid, both of which have their advantages and disadvantages. Indeed, there is a good match between those advantages and disadvantages as well.

Madrid has six excellent central midfield players that can fill four spots, thus they are packed in the engine room. With some of the best young players in Europe at key positions, Xavi leads Barca, who have an excellent defensive unit and are dangerous on the wings.

Barca will believe they need to win three points at home given Madrid’s tiny advantage in the opening weeks of the title fight. But it might not be so simple. Due to a slew of injuries, the Blaugrana are racing to get some of its game-changing players back to full condition.

Due to major knee ailments that they suffered at the beginning of the season, Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao are unlikely to play much, if at all, for the remainder of the season for Carlo Ancelotti’s team.

In light of it and the present form, who would start in the combined XI for this most recent Clasico? GOAL has attempted to select the optimal team…

GK: Ter Stegen, Marc-Andre

If Courtois had not ruptured his ACL prior to the start of the 2023–24 season, this could have been a true competition. However, Madrid benched him in favor of Kepa Arrizabalaga, who isn’t quite as good as Germany’s top scorer.

In fact, Ter Stegen has had some difficulty in the early going of the tournament, committing a few odd errors. As a result, he has only kept five clean sheets and given up half as many goals as he did during the 2022–2023 season. Nevertheless, Ter Stegen has demonstrated in a matter of seconds that he is among the greatest in the world.

Joao Cancelo, RB

At a position where Barca didn’t seem to require an upgrade, Cancelo has offered one. Although Jules Kounde did a fantastic job covering right-back last season, he was always very apparent that he was more at ease in the midfield.

Nevertheless, Cancelo, a loanee from Man City, has provided the kind of inventive spark from deep that the Blaugrana lacked the previous season, creating issues with his deft passing and dribbling skills. The Portuguese player already appears to be one of the summer’s biggest acquisitions after adding his late winner against Celta Vigo.

Admittedly, Dani Carvajal also merits recognition in this regard. This season, the Madrid full-back appears rejuvenated and more like a younger version of himself. Cancelo, though, has just been more significant.

Ronald Araujo, CBThe season hasn’t started out with Araujo at his best. Whether it’s due to an unexpected mistake or injury, the center-back hasn’t returned to his brilliant 2022–2023 form. However, he remains superior to all other center backs that Barca has to offer. Araujo is the epitome of the modern central defender: he is dominant in the air, brilliant one-on-one, and composed while handling the ball. He will only get better.An outburst There is just one choice to command this backline, and Militao would undoubtedly press him for selection here given that the Madrid player is sidelined for the whole season following a major knee injury.Antonio Rudiger, CBRudiger was Madrid’s third-choice center back at the beginning of the season. As Madrid attempted to recapture the Liga title, it was expected that both Militao and David Alaba would keep the former Chelsea player off the field.Rather, he has evolved into an essential component of a temporary defense. With Militao out for the season and Alaba out due to a hamstring injury, Rudiger has come in big. In the top division of Spain, his one-on-one skills and ball-carrying prowess are almost unmatched, and he has also become a better passer.For the Blaugrana, Andreas Christensen has undoubtedly had some successful moments, and Kounde has occasionally made an impression. However, Rudiger is a first-rate, dependable back who any team would be lucky to have.

LB: Alejandro Balde Balde, who won La Liga last season, was perhaps the greatest young player in Spain. He gradually forced Jordi Alba off the Barcelona lineup and established himself as a superior full-back.

And so far this season, he has maintained some of that form. For Xavi’s developing team, the 20-year-old has been given even more attacking latitude. He plays as a de facto winger and develops a great rapport with Joao Felix.

Although there are undoubtedly some defensive lapses on Balde’s part, he recovers quickly enough from them. He will undoubtedly get better at this young age.

CM: Tchouameni Aurelien

Tchouameni was a Madrid outsider and there were rumors of his leaving Santiago Bernabeu six months ago. He now plays a key role for the club that leads La Liga.

Tchouameni had always shown talent, but at the beginning of the current season, Ancelotti lost interest in the midfield player, and in the last few months of the previous season, he experienced a reduction in playing time. However, he has shown to be worth the €100 million (£85 million/$107 million) Madrid paid for him in the summer of 2022.

Tchouameni, a strong defensive No. 6 with good passing abilities and a good eye for goal, is gradually becoming into the ideal modern pivot. The France international still has potential to grow because he could move the ball more quickly and can still miss the occasional runner. However, his advantages greatly exceed his disadvantages.

Since Sergio Busquets left Barc, there hasn’t really been much competition for this position in our Clasico XI because Oriol Romeu isn’t quite as good as him.

CM: Gavi

Last Saturday, Joan Laporta asserted that Barca had rejected a €100 million offer for Frenkie de Jong. The president, who is known for his erratic behavior, may or may not be correct in his assessment of the athlete. And based on his performance this season, De Jong would seem to be the most obvious choice at this position given his enormous quality.

But it appears that the Netherlands international will not be fit for El Clasico and will lose his race, with teammate Gavi being the most obvious replacement. Due to his unique combination of skill and tenacity, the Spain international creates controversy. But his adaptability has been crucial for the Blaugrana this season. Gavi, who has played all over the midfield to help Barca stay unbeaten, has alternated between playing as a No. 6 and a No. 10.

Going forward, he has improved significantly; despite frequently playing deeper to cover for De Jong’s absence, he has already been directly involved in three goals and has increased his action numbers for both generating chances and taking shots.

Gavi is only 19 years old, but he has all the makings of a fully fledged midfield player.

Getty Images

CAM: Jude Bellingham

Could it ever be anyone else? Bellingham has made his €103m (£88m/$110m) pricetag look like an absolute bargain. Here is a box-to-box midfielder who is being deployed as a No.10/false 9 hybrid and is scoring at the rate of Cristiano Ronaldo, all while leading Madrid to the top of La Liga after two months.

The Englishman has been more than a replacement for the departed Karim Benzema. Rather, he has contributed goals at a better rate, and also improved Madrid’s midfield corps, too. It speaks volumes that former Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric can no longer get in the side — such has been Bellingham’s quality.

There isn’t a better player for Barcelona. There might not be a better one in world football, either.

(C)GettyImages

RW: Lamine Yamal

A surprisingly weak position between the two sides, as neither team has been able to nail down a starter on the right. Rodrygo has been favoured for Madrid, but looks uncomfortable in a two-striker setup — a system he openly criticised his manager for using.

Barca, meanwhile, have rotated heavily. Raphinha appeared to be the first choice, but a suspension and injuries have limited his game time. Teenager Yamal, however, has been a more-than-capable deputy, making good on the promise that earned him some admittedly unhealthy Lionel Messi comparisons as early as April.

Yamal has scored twice and assisted once for club and country so far this season, seeing his star rise rapidly. Though more Bukayo Saka than Messi, the 16-year-old winger may well be the future of Barca’s attack.

There is a case to be made for Federico Valverde here. The Uruguayan has played on the right for Madrid in the past, and has been crucial for Los Blancos in recent weeks. But he’s at his best in a central role — a spot where others are simply better.

ST: Robert Lewandowski

With all due respect to Madrid’s Joselu, Lewandowski is still among the best strikers in Europe. He may not be as mobile these days, but the Polish forward is the reigning Pichichi holder, and is well on track to defend his crown this year.

Lewandowski has scored five and added three assists in eight La Liga appearances, and although absent in recent weeks due to an ankle injury, figures to be back among the goals once he returns to full fitness.

He may not have much longer at the top — he’s 35 with just two years left on his contract. But he has shown no signs of slowing down, and any team would love to have him.

Getty

LW: Vinicius Jr

The best wide forward in the world not-named Kylian Mbappe, Vinicus hasn’t necessarily had the best start to the season. He suffered a hamstring injury in Madrid’s second game, and has not looked at his best since returning after five weeks out. Often, the Brazilian can be found trying to rush things, and doing too much — all while adjusting to a slightly narrower position.

Still, Vini is one of the best players in the world for a reason, and it speaks volumes that a ‘bad start’ still has him averaging a goal or assist every other game.

Barca fans might feel lightly aggrieved here, especially given Joao Felix’s contributions early on. But Vinicius is simply on another level.