Picking a Combined Manchester United and Real Madrid XI

The eyes of the world were well and truly on the Santiago Bernabéu tonight as Real Madrid and Manchester United met in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

The monumental fixture between two of the biggest football clubs in the world was labelled as the perfect match by some media outlets, and with two of the greatest bosses also going head to head; it certainly made for a mouth-watering prospect.

As it was, the game ended in a stalemate with Cristiano Ronaldo coming back to haunt his old side as he cancelled out Danny Welbeck's opener.

The Bernabéu pitch was graced with some of the world's best players but what if hypothetically the managers had the luxury of picking from both star-studded squads?

Of course, with so many wonderful players available for selection it would be no mean feat but I decided to have a go at picking my dream XI if everyone was fit and able to play right now.

Please remember this is just a bit of fun, and the great thing about football is that it is all about opinions, so if you disagree, feel free to leave your own suggestions.

So without further ado, here are my eleven players to make the cut.

GK: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)

This is very much a case of the "master" against the "pretender," with David De Gea seen as the eventual successor to the legendary Iker Casillas in the Spanish national team.

Casillas has long been considered as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the world, but his stock has fallen slightly this year after José Mourinho took the brave decision of dropping the Spaniard for Real's clash against Málaga in December.

In contrast, De Gea is starting to get to grips with the English game with Sir Alex Ferguson this week comparing his coming of age to that of a child learning to walk, and there's little doubt that the ex-Atlético Madrid man has been far more impressive this season.

However, De Gea still has a long way to go in his quest to emulate Casillas, and for that reason, the Los Blancos stalwart still gets the nod between the sticks.

RB: Rafael (Manchester United)

Like De Gea, the improvement of Rafael has been immeasurable from previous seasons, and he has well and truly made the right back position his own.

The Brazilian has always been a threat in attack but defensively he has made great strides, and he is now certainly one of the best full-backs in the Premier League.

Álvaro Arbeloa is the occupier of the right-back slot at the Santiago Bernabéu, and although a very capable performer, I don't feel that he is an obvious world-class talent.

Rafael has bags of potential to become whatever he wants to be, and for that reason he would be my choice over Arbeloa.

CB: Nemanja Vidić (Manchester United)

Nemanja Vidić is very much the glue that holds together Manchester United as a defensive unit, and although we will never know, I would suspect that his absence due to the injury last season was pivotal in United's failure to defend their Premier League crown.

Vidić is a leader as well as a ferocious competitor, and for that reason he is one of the leading centre-backs in world football.

In my opinion, the 31-year-old would be a relatively straight-forward pick over Real's Pepe, with the controversial Portuguese defender more concerned with play-acting at times rather than defending.

Pepe is clearly a very talented defender but I would choose Vidic's steel all day long.

CB: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)

Sergio Ramos has made a superb impression since arriving at the Bernabéu back in 2005, and with already 99 international caps for Spain at the age of just 26, his ability is there for every one to see.

Ramos has all of the attributes needed for the modern day centre-half, and his composure on the ball means that he is often the source of Real's attacking play.

In comparison, Rio Ferdinand has been a really top-class servant to Manchester United but I do feel that he would find it hard to displace Ramos.

At the age of 34, Ferdinand's better years are perhaps behind him but it would certainly be much closer if both players were competing against each other in their prime!

LB: Marcelo (Real Madrid)

This was the position that I found hardest to decide on with Marcelo, Patrice Evra and Fábio Coentrão all worthy candidates.

However, I just feel that Marcelo's attacking qualities make him the standout player amongst the trio although I do accept that defensively, he still leaves a lot to desired.

Prior to this campaign, I would have picked Patrice Evra, but I just think that he is starting to show signs of a defensive fragility that we haven't seen often before. With Evra on the decline and Marcelo on the up, the Brazilian gets my vote.

DM: Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid)

The fact that Xabi Alonso has been able to establish himself as an integral part of the all-conquering Spainish national side speaks volumes of his ability.

There are few better passers of a ball than Alonso in the modern game, and the midfielder has really excelled since leaving Liverpool for a return to his homeland in 2009.

Without Alonso, the likes of Ronaldo and Benzema would find it harder to thrive with the majority of Real's attacks going through the Spanish creator.

He is a wonderful player to watch, and, for that reason, he must be included in the combined XI.

DM: Michael Carrick (Manchester United)

This may be more of a controversial choice, but I believe that Michael Carrick's form this season means that he is a justified inclusion.

Carrick is a criminally underrated player, with his unselfish work pivotal to Manchester United.

The former Spurs man both breaks up play and starts attacks, and Sir Alex Ferguson's insistence to play Carrick in the biggest games says it all.

Sami Khedira fulfills a similar role for Real Madrid, but Carrick is playing some of the best football of his career this season, and for that reason he would be my choice to partner Alonso.

AML: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

In some ways, Cristiano Ronaldo must be cursing his luck for being a part of the current generation of players because without Lionel Messi for company, the Portuguese magician would undeniably be the best player in the world.

Ronaldo is the closest thing to a "complete player" in the modern game.

He can dribble for fun, score goals from all angles and compete with the very best in the air.

Ronaldo is simply a pleasure to watch, and although United possess some wonderful players, they have no one amongst their ranks who gets near to Ronaldo's class.

AMR: Ángel Di María (Real Madrid)

The contribution of  Ángel Di María is often overshadowed by the sheer brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo, but the Argentinian winger is a very dangerous operator in his own right, and is often one of the first names on the team sheet in Madrid.

At the age of 24, Di María is only going to get even better, and his industrious wide play means that he is one of the most feared attacking players in La Liga.

United's Antonio Valencia could also more than adequately fill the position but I just feel that Di María's irresistible dribbling ability and immense potential make him too good to ignore.

AMC/SS: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

It would be hard to pick a combined XI without including someone of the talent of Wayne Rooney, and by playing just off the main striker in the shape of Robin Van Persie at Old Trafford this season, I have no doubts that he would be the best man for the role.

Rooney is evidently a very special player, with his goalscoring prowess and ability to link play making him one of the best players playing the game today.

Mesut Özil would be the likely competitor to Rooney for a place on the starting sheet, and he too has attributes that would make him a more than worthy inclusion.

Özil really shined at the 2010 World cup in South Africa, with his creative displays earning him a move to Spain, but at this moment I don't feel that he has shown enough to warrant a place over Rooney.

ST: Robin Van Persie (Manchester United)

It's hard to say anything that hasn't yet been said about Robin Van Persie, with the Dutch striker rightly receiving the plaudits he deserves for his staggering performances in recent years.

The 29-year-old couldn't stop scoring for Arsenal, and he has taken that habit north to Manchester, settling in with remarkable ease.

Karim Benzema is a more than worthy competitor for the lone striker role, but you can't ignore the sheer weight of goals that Van Persie has been producing recently, and that is why he would be the man trusted to lead the line.

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