Real Madrid vs Liverpool — Combined XI | UEFA Champions League 2020-21

Defence: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ozan Kabak, Nacho Fernandez, Ferland Mendy

Liverpool v Fulham - Premier League

Of all the areas on the pitch, it is the back four that is, perhaps, the easiest to select due to the vast number of injuries suffered by both sides.

The two centre-backs in the side practically select themselves due to the sheer lack of fit defenders at both managers' disposals. Star defenders Sergio Ramos and Virgil van Dijk could have been the go-to defensive pairing if they were available for selection. However, Ozan Kabak and Nacho Fernandez are the two best available centre-halves set to take part in the game on Tuesday night.

Kabak has bounced back admirably well since his nightmare debut against Leicester City and, in the absence of Gomez and Van Dijk, the on-loan defender has impressed with Klopp's men. He may have only arrived a couple of months ago, but Kabak has already proven to be a timely and important acquisition for Liverpool.

🇹🇷 Ozan Kabak - #UCL debut for Liverpool💪 Tackles - 4💯 Tackle Success Rate - 100%🧠 Interceptions - 3☄️ Clearances - 2👥 Aerial Duels Won - 1⛔️ Clean Sheet - 1📈 Rating - 7.44 pic.twitter.com/xbatLgvKMp

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) February 16, 2021

With Sergio Ramos missing for a month, and Raphael Varane testing positive for COVID-19 earlier today, Nacho Fernandez is in line to play as a central defender for Los Blancos. The Spanish international is one of the most versatile players in world football and is set to partner Eder Militao at the heart of the defense. Real Madrid's backline has a different look to it, but they will have to make do with it in the coming weeks as their injury woes continue to deepen.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is the natural choice for the right-back role in the combined XI despite his sub-par campaign so far in comparison to his record-breaking 2019/20 season. The Englishman is still one of the best right-backs in the world and, in this case, walks into the side as Los Blancos' first-choice right-back Dani Carvajal has spent a large part of the campaign sidelined due to injury.

0 - @realmadriden have not lost any of their 16 @LaLigaEN games since last season with Daniel Carvajal 🇪🇸, Raphaël Varane 🇫🇷, Sergio Ramos 🇪🇸 and Ferland Mendy 🇫🇷 in the starting XI. Power. #RealMadridAtleti #ElDerbi pic.twitter.com/aXQErc84GK

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) December 12, 2020

The choice between Ferland Mendy and Andy Robertson was another difficult one, but the Frenchman edges this one out over the Liverpool man for this side as the latter hasn't been at his sublime best. Mendy has been in excellent form this year in the UCL as well as LaLiga Santander, and completes this four-man defence alongside his compatriot Varane.

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