El Clasico: Barcelona vs Real Madrid Combined XI for 2017/18

Attack

Andres Iniesta plays his last Clasico this week

Since we've opted for a 4-3-1-2, the midfielder we've picked for the player in the hole is none other than Andres Iniesta. The Spaniard will be playing his final Clasico and deserves a guard of honour from both sides for his contribution to Spanish football.

Although not typically his role, this is no typical XI. Iniesta is in this XI simply because he deserves a standing ovation one last time in a Clasico from both Real and Barcelona fans. And if this were an actual XI, feeding the two forwards ahead of him would be the easiest thing he's ever done.

Because, the two forward who would make a combined XI are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Both teams have played a 4-4-2 (or one of its variants with two forwards up top) and both players have played narrower than their traditional wide positions this season as a result.

El Clasico will always be about Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi

Ronaldo no longer cuts in from the left wing while Messi no longer does the same from the right after Neymar's departure prompted a change in Ernesto Valverde's plans.

Messi leads the Pichichi race with 32 goals while Ronaldo's suspension at the start of the season and struggles until December sees him further behind with 24 goals. Nevertheless, they are the top two goalscorers in La Liga this season and no coach in the world would bench either if they had them in the squad.

Luis Suarez just misses out while Karim Benzema's poor form this season sees him fail to make the squad altogether.

Substitutes: Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho