BARCELONA VS MAN UTD COMBINED XI: ONLY 2 UTD PLAYERS INCLUDED
Barcelona and Manchester United will meet at Camp Nou on Tuesday night for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie. The Catalan giants have come out on top in each of the last three encounters, though, including a 1-0 win in the first leg at Old Trafford.
Both teams have some decent players. There are the likes of Messi and Suarez in Barca's frontline, while United have the youngsters like Rashford and Pogba. Let's make a combination XI, which will line up in a 4-3-3 formation. Here's how the team should look like:
Combined XI (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Marc-André ter Stegen
There is no doubt at all that David De Gea is one of the best goalkeepers in the World, but this time, it's Ter Stegen, who makes his way to our Combined XI. In some cases, De Gea fails to convince with his goalkeeping skills, where the German fulfills all the requirements we need. Ter Stegen has 14 clean sheets under his name from 31 La Liga matches this season.
Centre-backs: Clément Lenglet and Gerard Pique
Pique was allowed to leave Old Trafford in 2008 to return to his boyhood club for just £5m, but truthfully the 32-year-old would have walked into any United starting lineup of the last five years.
One of the best ball-playing centre-backs in the world, Pique's elegant style could see him continue at the top of the game for another five years, as he nears 500 appearances in a Barcelona shirt.
He makes his way into our combined XI with Barcelona new backbone, Clément Lenglet, who also has been doing superb work for the Catalan side.
Fullbacks: Jordi Alba and Sergio Roberto
There is no place for Manchester United candidates as the fullbacks' qualities don't meet our expectations, while we have Jordi Alba and Sergio Roberto as the options for fullbacks. Both fullbacks are well-known for their attacking duties. A team, which have the pair of Jordi-Roberto, is definitely going to give a hard time to their opponents.
Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitić and Paul Pogba
Busquets keeps Barcelona ticking at the base of the midfield, breaking up attacks and breaking defensive lines with his inch-perfect passing.
Often overlooked when discussing the world's best midfielders, it can't be ignored that since his Barça debut in 2008 the club have won it all at club level, as well as Spain's World Cup and European Championship victories.
Pogba is flourishing under Solskjaer since being freed from the shackles of Jose Mourinho. The Frenchman is in double figures for both goals and assists, as he finally looks like the player re-signed by United for £89m in 2016.
After leading France to a World Cup trophy last summer, Pogba can no longer be denied a place at the very top table of central midfielders, with the 26-year-old growing in stature and leading by example for club and country.
Since arriving in 2014, Rakitic has been a huge success in the Barcelona midfield, faced with the unenviable task of leading the transition from club legends like Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
In his debut season, Barça won the treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League, scoring the winning goal in the final of the latter against Juventus. The Croatian has already punished English opposition with a wonder strike against Tottenham Hotspur in the group stages.
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Luiz Suarez and Marcus Rashford
Luiz Suarez leads the frontline with Lionel Messi to the left and youngster Marcus Rashford to the right. Messi has scored 33 goals and provided 12 awaits in La Liga 2018-19.
His fellow South American has 20 goals and 6 assists for Barcelona this season. Having scored 10 goals, Rashford is the 3rd highest goalscorer for Man United this season.
Both teams have some decent players. There are the likes of Messi and Suarez in Barca's frontline, while United have the youngsters like Rashford and Pogba. Let's make a combination XI, which will line up in a 4-3-3 formation. Here's how the team should look like:
Combined XI (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Marc-André ter Stegen
There is no doubt at all that David De Gea is one of the best goalkeepers in the World, but this time, it's Ter Stegen, who makes his way to our Combined XI. In some cases, De Gea fails to convince with his goalkeeping skills, where the German fulfills all the requirements we need. Ter Stegen has 14 clean sheets under his name from 31 La Liga matches this season.
Centre-backs: Clément Lenglet and Gerard Pique
Pique was allowed to leave Old Trafford in 2008 to return to his boyhood club for just £5m, but truthfully the 32-year-old would have walked into any United starting lineup of the last five years.
One of the best ball-playing centre-backs in the world, Pique's elegant style could see him continue at the top of the game for another five years, as he nears 500 appearances in a Barcelona shirt.
He makes his way into our combined XI with Barcelona new backbone, Clément Lenglet, who also has been doing superb work for the Catalan side.
Fullbacks: Jordi Alba and Sergio Roberto
There is no place for Manchester United candidates as the fullbacks' qualities don't meet our expectations, while we have Jordi Alba and Sergio Roberto as the options for fullbacks. Both fullbacks are well-known for their attacking duties. A team, which have the pair of Jordi-Roberto, is definitely going to give a hard time to their opponents.
Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitić and Paul Pogba
Busquets keeps Barcelona ticking at the base of the midfield, breaking up attacks and breaking defensive lines with his inch-perfect passing.
Often overlooked when discussing the world's best midfielders, it can't be ignored that since his Barça debut in 2008 the club have won it all at club level, as well as Spain's World Cup and European Championship victories.
Pogba is flourishing under Solskjaer since being freed from the shackles of Jose Mourinho. The Frenchman is in double figures for both goals and assists, as he finally looks like the player re-signed by United for £89m in 2016.
After leading France to a World Cup trophy last summer, Pogba can no longer be denied a place at the very top table of central midfielders, with the 26-year-old growing in stature and leading by example for club and country.
Since arriving in 2014, Rakitic has been a huge success in the Barcelona midfield, faced with the unenviable task of leading the transition from club legends like Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
In his debut season, Barça won the treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League, scoring the winning goal in the final of the latter against Juventus. The Croatian has already punished English opposition with a wonder strike against Tottenham Hotspur in the group stages.
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Luiz Suarez and Marcus Rashford
Luiz Suarez leads the frontline with Lionel Messi to the left and youngster Marcus Rashford to the right. Messi has scored 33 goals and provided 12 awaits in La Liga 2018-19.
His fellow South American has 20 goals and 6 assists for Barcelona this season. Having scored 10 goals, Rashford is the 3rd highest goalscorer for Man United this season.
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