Reigning champions Real Madrid will be aiming to book their spot in the semi-finals of the Champions League when they head to Chelsea for the second leg of their last-eight affair on Tuesday night.
Carlo Ancelotti's side are in a commanding position in the tie, having recorded a 2-0 victory when the two teams locked horns for the first leg of their quarter-final on April 12.
Karim Benzema made the breakthrough in the 21st minute of the contest at Bernabeu before Marco Asensio came off the bench to double Real Madrid's advantage.
Real Madrid were also 2-0 winners over Cadiz in La Liga on Saturday, but Chelsea's issues continued, with Frank Lampard's side losing 2-1 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League.
There will be some of the best players in world football on display in this contest, and with that in mind, Sports Mole picks a combined XI, using only players available for the match.
In truth, it was not a difficult choice between the sticks, with Thibaut Courtois again proving himself to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world this season. The 30-year-old made one particularly outstanding save in the first leg to deny Raheem Sterling, and he has kept four clean sheets in seven outings in the competition this term.
Kepa Arrizabalaga, on the other hand, is still yet to fully convince, with Chelsea widely expected to sign a new number one goalkeeper during this summer's transfer window.
There are two Chelsea defenders in the XI, though, with Reece James getting the nod over Dani Carvajal, who has not been at his best this season. James has had his injury problems this term, which have restricted him to 23 appearances, but when fit, the 23-year-old is one of the best full-backs in the world.
Thiago Silva also features, with the Brazilian still going strong at the age of 38. The centre-back is entering the latter stages of his career, but with Ferland Mendy out due to a calf injury, there had to be a spot at the back for Silva, who remains a hugely influential figure for the Blues.
Eder Militao and David Alaba, meanwhile, were easy choices for Real Madrid. Militao has developed into one of the best centre-backs in the world over the last couple of seasons, and he has again been a leading player for Los Blancos this term, making 40 appearances in all competitions.
Alaba has had his injury problems but has still featured 33 times, with the 30-year-old settling effortlessly into life at Bernabeu following his arrival from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2021.
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Midfield was easily the toughest area to pick in this combined XI, but Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez is included, which is perhaps slightly controversial. The 22-year-old cost huge money in January, and he has only provided two assists in 14 appearances for the Blues, but he is in a struggling side, and there is no question that the Argentina international has been one of their best players over the last few weeks.
Toni Kroos and Aurelien Tchouameni both miss out for Real Madrid, with Luka Modric and Eduardo Camavinga instead getting the nod. Camavinga played left-back in the first leg against Chelsea, but the Frenchman is primarily a central midfielder, and he has been an important player for Los Blancos this term, making 47 appearances in all competitions, with Ancelotti finding it difficult to leave him out.
Modric, meanwhile, had to be included, with the Croatia international again enjoying a strong season, providing six goals and six assists in 41 appearances in all competitions. The 37-year-old is thought to be close to signing a new deal at Bernabeu, and he has again been a huge influence for the club this term.
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Chelsea's struggles for goals, coupled with Real Madrid's attacking talent, meant that it would have been difficult to pick anything other than an all-Los Blancos front three.
Federico Valverde played in midfield in the first leg but is often used as a right-sided attacker and that is where he operates for the purposes of this side. The 24-year-old has scored 12 goals and registered five assists in 46 appearances at club level this season, including two goals and two assists in the Champions League.
Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior, meanwhile, have formed one of the best partnerships in European football. The former has 26 goals and six assists to his name this term, while the latter has managed 21 goals and 16 assists, and it would have been impossible to leave the duo out of this particular side.
Chelsea's leading goalscorer this season in all competitions is Kai Havertz with nine, while Sterling has seven in his first season at Stamford Bridge, but no other Blues player has managed more than three, which is an indication of their huge issues in the final third of the field.
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Matt Law
