Barcelona will take on Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Friday night, with both sides desperate to advance to the final four.
The only two previous winners left in this season's competition, Barca last lifted the European Cup in 2015, while Bayern's most recent success in the tournament came back in 2013.
Barca booked their spot in the last eight courtesy of a 4-2 aggregate success over Napoli, while Bayern thumped Chelsea 7-1 to breeze into the quarter-finals.
The winner of the contest will take on either Manchester City or Lyon in the semi-finals, and it promises to be an enthralling clash between two of the biggest sides in European football.
Some of the world's biggest stars will be on display in Lisbon on Friday night and with that in mind, Sports Mole picks a combined XI from both squads, using only players available for the game.
The goalkeeping spot in this particular XI was very, very difficult to pick, with Barca's Marc-Andre ter Stegen developing into one of the best stoppers in world football over the last couple of seasons. Ter Stegen has kept 17 clean sheets in 42 appearances at club level this term, but Manuel Neuer has produced 20 shutouts in 47 games, including clean sheets in half of his Champions League outings for Bayern this season. The 34-year-old's form in 2019-20 has been excellent, and he just about gets the nod over his fellow German.
Benjamin Pavard's absence through injury means that Joshua Kimmich will start at right-back for Bayern in this match and that is also the case in this XI. Kimmich gets the nod over Barca's Nelson Semedo, while the brilliant Alphonso Davies edges out Jordi Alba on the opposite side. Davies missed training on Wednesday as a precaution, but the Canada international, who has been stunning this season, is expected to be fit to start.
Gerard Pique is the only Barca player in the back four as the Spaniard has enjoyed another strong campaign, and he is joined by Bayern's David Alaba in central defence. The former has played as a centre-back in 31 of his 39 appearances at club level this term and has been in excellent form for the Bundesliga champions, who have already done a domestic double this season.
A 4-2-3-1 formation leaves room for just two central midfielders, and we have gone for Barca pair Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong. Busquets is available for the Spanish giants following suspension, while De Jong has recently recovered from injury and was in excellent form against Napoli last time out, dictating the play from the middle of the park.
Thiago Alcantara and Leon Goretzka have both enjoyed strong campaigns for Bayern, but this particular XI needs a holding midfielder, while it is difficult to leave out De Jong, who has shown his class on a number of occasions since arriving at Camp Nou from Ajax.
Down the left, Serge Gnabry gets the nod over Bayern teammates Kingsley Coman and Ivan Perisic, while he is also preferred to Barca's Antoine Griezmann and Ansu Fati. Gnabry has scored 20 times and registered 13 assists in 43 appearances this term, including a very impressive six goals in seven Champions League outings, meaning that it was very difficult to leave him out.
Thomas Muller is also selected, with the 30-year-old key to Bayern's success this term. Indeed, the German has managed 12 goals and 25 assists in 47 appearances, and he is the obvious choice to operate in the number 10 spot, with a certain Lionel Messi named on the right. Barca have had their issues this term, but Messi has again been in stunning form, scoring 31 goals and registering 26 assists in 43 appearances in all competitions, including three goals and four assists in the Champions League.
The final spot in this XI goes to Robert Lewandowski. The 31-year-old is arguably the best centre-forward in world football at the moment and has been in superb form this term, scoring 53 times in 44 appearances in all competitions. Lewandowski has 13 goals in seven Champions League outings in 2019-20, meanwhile, and will be desperate to fire his team into the final four of the competition.
Matt Law
