El Classico 09/10: Are Barca Still The Better Team?

Last season's Bernabau leg of "El Classico" will live on long in the memories for those who saw it; the once unbeatable Merengues, Real Madrid up against their bitter Catalan rivals, Barcelona.

What took place in that game has already become stuff of legend: Barca thumped Madrid 6-2 and went on to win a historic treble in Pep Guardiola's debut season.

Since then, Madrid have gone under the radar and made some "low-key" signings in the shape of "Cr9" Cristiano Ronaldo (£80m), Kaka (£60m), Karim Benzema (£30m) and Raul Albiol (£20m).

With rumours of the transfers of Ribery and Xabi Alonso also on the cards, Madrid might end up spending enough to start up their own small country.  

The reason Madrid are doing this is to catch up with Barca, who's three best players (arguably the 3 best in the world) cost them nothing: Lionel Messi, Xav'i Hernandez and Andres Iniesta.

The debate whether this is good for football is for another day however as next season's Classico will by far be the biggest, most star studded fixture in all of world football.

Let's not forget Barca still have David Villa and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in their sights. Madrid on the other hand are building on a solid foundation with the likes of Casillas, Ramos, Higuain etc.

Here is how I feel the Madrid and Barca could line up next season:

CF Real Madrid

GK: Iker Casillas (C)

RB: Sergio Ramos

CB:Raul Albiol

CB: Pepe

LB: Ezequiel Garay

DMF: Lassana Diarra

DMF: Wesley Sneijder (Xabi Alonso?)

LAMF: Arjen Robben (Frank Ribery?)

RAMF: Cristano Ronado

CAMF: Kaka

CF: Karim Benzema

FC Barcelona:

GK: Victor Valdes

RB: Daniel Alves

CB: Carlos Puyol

CB: Gerard Pique

LB: Eric Abidal (Yaya Toure)

DMF: Yaya Toure (Javier Mascherano, Seydou Keita)

CMF: Xavi Hernandez

CMF: Andres Iniesta

RWF: Lionel Messi

LWF: Thiery Henry (Bojan Kirkic)

CF: Samuel Eto'o (David Villa, Zlatan Ibrahimovic)

Both teams boast the finest players in the world...by any margin, and are joint favourites to win La Liga and the Champions League to many.

But for me Barca are still the better team, as they are united and already have had a season to gel together, something which will be hard to achieve in a locker room boasting the egos of "Cr9" and Raul.