Manchester City vs Real Madrid: Picking a Combined XI From the Champions League Contenders

The longest of all seasons is far from over for Europe's elite.

Manchester City host Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 on Friday evening, 163 days after the first leg. Pep Guardiola's side came away with a hard-fought 2-1 victory from the Santiago Bernabéu in February but the tie is still very much alive.

In the intervening months, City have watched Liverpool storm to the Premier League title while Real Madrid have reclaimed their own domestic crown.

This blue ribbon fixture is littered with some of the continent's most exciting and widely coveted talent, which makes for both a thrilling encounter and tricky selection procession for a combined XI...

GK - Ederson

While Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois - who kept more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in La Liga this season - has enjoyed an excellent campaign, Ederson's much-vaunted but brilliant ability with his feet sees him edge out the Belgian.

City's Brazilian is also far from inept with his hands as he too topped the Premier League in terms of clean sheets. However, Ederson's fizzing long passes may prove crucial in unpicking this remarkably parsimonious Real Madrid defence.

RB - Dani Carvajal

Dani Carvajal has been his unflappable and reliable self in the defensive third throughout the campaign.

Yet the 28-year-old has also enjoyed a surprisingly productive season going forward, racking up seven assists across all competitions - as many as Luka Modrić and just one fewer than Toni Kroos.

CB - Raphaël Varane

In recent years, Real Madrid have always been a team more synonymous with blistering attacks rather than a parsimonious defence. But Zinedine Zidane has ensured that this year's La Liga winners tightened up at the back and Raphaël Varane's cool and calm approach has been pivotal.

Alongside captain Sergio Ramos for much of the season, Varane has been part of a backline with the best defensive record in Europe's top five leagues.

CB - Aymeric Laporte

Aymeric Laporte's third appearance since he was stretchered off against Brighton in August came at the Bernabéu and lasted just 33 minutes. The 26-year-old's absence from City's backline has been a key reason for the club's limp title defence this season.

Real Madrid will have to play without their own talismanic defender Sergio Ramos after he received the 26th red card of his career in the first leg.

LB - Ferland Mendy

Zidane has shown great faith in the squad members who were instrumental to the trio of Champions Leagues the club accrued in his first spell at the helm. However, Ferland Mendy's form has tested Zidane's stance to the limit this season as the Frenchman battled it out with Marcelo for first choice left back.

Mendy's compatriot and namesake at City, Benjamin, has had another inconsistent season in sky blue and may very well lose his place in Friday's starting lineup to João Cancelo.

CM - Kevin De Bruyne

Manchester City's assist merchant can also boast 15 goals across all competitions going into Friday's fixture. One of Kevin De Bruyne's more crucial strikes of the season came from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute against Real Madrid.

That night, the Belgian midfielder played an unorthodox role as one of two false nines, flitting around the pitch as Madrid ultimately paid the price for failing to pin down the lethal playmaker.

CM - Casemiro

Casemiro has long been key to Real Madrid's success but this season - somehow - the Brazilian pivot has improved. The 28-year-old tops the La Liga standings for tackles and interceptions while Zidane has used no other player more across all competitions.

CM - Toni Kroos

Real Madrid may have shifted their focus from attack to defence but Kroos' metronomic passing still seamlessly links the two. Only two players have made more appearances this term than the 30-year-old Germany international, who continues to dictate the tempo of most games he plays.

RW - Raheem Sterling

Guardiola is no stranger to squad rotation. But while his unpredictable chopping and changing may infuriate Fantasy Football managers up and down the country, Raheem Sterling is one of the few to - more often than not - escape the weekly mix up.

No Manchester City player has played more minutes than Sterling this season. In that time, the England international has netted a career-best 30 goals across all competitions - a sensational tally for a someone starting out wide in most matches.

ST - Karim Benzema

Benzema has utterly dominated Madrid's entire attacking play this season. Everything goes through the Frenchman - he leads the club in goals and assists with double figures in each across the myriad of competitions.

Zidane has alternated between his vast roster of wingers throughout the 11 post-lockdown games of the La Liga season - even Gareth Bale got a run out against Mallorca. But Benzema has been the one constant, starting every match since football returned in June.

Benzema endured an anonymous night in the first leg but he will be crucial for their success on Friday.

LW - Eden Hazard

The former Chelsea wide man confessed that 2019/20 has been the 'worst season' of his career after the title was confirmed. Yet there is still time for redemption against a familiar foe from his Premier League days.

Hazard missed the first leg with injury but has been tentatively reintegrated into the side post-lockdown. If he rediscovers anything like the form he so regularly enjoyed in west London, Manchester City will be in for a testing evening.