UEFA Champions League: Predicting the Starting XIs, Real Madrid and Barcelona
El Clásico world series is in full-swing and football fans everywhere are following every minute of this fantastic showdown between Spain's iconic clubs.
So far, Real Madrid has gotten the better of Barcelona—drawing the La Liga fixture last Saturday and taking home their first title in three seasons with a stellar performance in the Copa del Rey final.
But now the stakes are raised, as the bitter rivals face off in the most prestigious tournament in club football—the Champions League.
As both coaches deal with injuries and suspensions, here are the 22 men I think will take the field this Wednesday.
FC Barcelona
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Two weeks ago, Barcelona were the clear favorites to win the Champions League title for the second time in three years. A possible matchup with Real Madrid was seen by many culés as just another opportunity to humiliate “Los Blancos.”
After drawing El Clásico number one, losing the cup final to Madrid last week and looking pretty putrid against Osasuna on Saturday, things aren’t looking so good for Barcelona. Throw in a few more injuries to the back line, and Real Madrid suddenly becomes, as Sergio Busquets puts it, the worst possible rival for Barcelona.
That said, Barcelona isn't the type to lay down against Real Madrid, and Pep's men will put up a spirited fight for a spot in the Champions League final. So who will Guardiola start?
Victor Valdés, Goalkeeper
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Barcelona fans: thank your lucky stars for the sure presence of this man in goal on Wednesday. Victor Valdés is playing the best ball of his illustrious career and this is good news for La Blaugrana.
Shots on goal will need stopping, crosses will need punching away and through balls will need clearing. Barcelona needs a very big game from this man.
Dani Alves, Right Back
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While he hasn’t been in top form lately, Alves is incredibly important to Barcelona and will surely start at right back. It will be interesting to see how much he comes forward in attack. In the Copa del Rey final, he was held back more than usual to guard against the speedy Madrid counterattack.
Alves is involved in the best of Barcelona’s goals and they’ll need him to help stretch Madrid’s rock-solid defense with some trademark runs up the right flank.
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Javier Mascherano, Center Back
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This little guy has come up big for Barcelona in recent outings and he’ll need to do so again on Wednesday. The question is, will he start at center-back or in midfield? I say Pep keeps him all the way back in the center of defense, and lets Busquets be the play-maker in the middle.
Mascherano gives the Barcelona defense some serious bite and looks like he's learned to truly hate Madrid in just a few short months.
Gerard Piqué, Center Back
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Piqué is one of the few Barcelona players who’s better right now than he was earlier in the season. The lynch-pin of Barça’s defense, every inch of his height will be needed to clear off crosses, cut out through-balls and protect Valdés.
As the last true center-back standing, Piqué's form and ability to avoid both injury and suspension are crucial for Barcelona to get past Madrid.
Carles Puyol, Left Back
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Although his status for Wednesday’s match is still uncertain, I’m guessing (and hoping) Barcelona’s captain will be out there. Normally a center-back, injuries to Abidal, Adriano and Maxwell will force Pep to play Puyol on the left.
Fortunately for Barcelona, Puyol’s no slouch at left-back. While not terribly speedy, he’s got some real skills and, if healthy, can dominate the left side.
Many fans will remember that Puyol played on the left during Barcelona’s Champions’ League Final victory over Manchester United. Some fans will remember that Puyol came up the Barcelona ranks in this very position and was only later converted to central defender.
Sergi Busquets, Holding Midfielder
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A candidate for center-back, I think we’ll see Busquets in his customary role as the holding midfielder. This is good news for Barcelona’s attack, as he’s the best man for this position.
Busquets and Mascherano will probably take turns coming forward, but it should be the Catalan who’s left free to bring the ball up.
Xavi Hernandez, Midfield
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World champion, midfield magician, “el motorcito de Terassa.” What can you say about this man?
Xavi makes Barcelona tick and he’ll be ready to go on Wednesday.
Andrés Iniesta, Midfield
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Rounding out the midfield is Andrés Iniesta, who is finally enjoying an injury-free season. Along with Xavi, Iniesta will be responsible for dissecting Madrid’s defense and springing Leo Messi and company into space.
He’ll also need to stand strong against the physical Madrid defense and play like he did in the second half of the Copa del Rey—going for goal instead of playing for fouls.
UPDATE: Iniesta will miss the match due to injury. Seydou Keita will almost surely start in his stead.
Pedro Rodriguez, Right Wing
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Pedro still hasn’t found his form from earlier in the season, when he was instrumental in Barça’s 5-0 thrashing of Madrid. I can say, however, that he looked closer than ever on Wednesday, with a couple of strikes that may well have beaten lesser men than Iker Casillas.
Barcelona will need him at his helter-skelter best, winning back lost balls and stretching the defense up the wing.
Lionel Messi, Center Forward
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As the best player in the world, Messi’s place in the starting lineup is a sure thing. The question is where he will feature in Barcelona’s attack.
He’s played most of the season as a “false nine”—a center forward who drifts back to midfield to participate in the attack. Against Madrid, however, Messi spent much of the match back on the right wing, where he first began terrorizing defences.
I’ll say he’s back in the middle of the field to start, but as always Barcelona’s top three will fill space with little regard to starting position.
David Villa, Left Forward
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Legendary Spanish Striker David Villa hasn’t looked so good lately for Barcelona. While he finally ended a goal-scoring drought against Osasuna on Saturday, some have questioned Pep’s continued confidence in “El Guaje” and they’ll question it again come Wednesday.
Villa will start on the left of Barcelona’s attack and be expected to score as he did twice against Real Madrid in the 5-0 Blaugrana win that seems so far away.
Barcelona fans will be hoping he flops less and shoots more. One part of Villa’s game that still looks good is his positioning—the man fits perfectly into Barcelona’s attack and continues to find himself in the right place at the right time. Villa could have won the Copa del Rey for Barcelona had he gotten a hold of a loose ball in the box.
Real Madrid CF
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Jose Mourinho will be without suspended center-back Ricardo Carvalho and the injured midfielder Sami Khedira. Otherwise, look out Barcelona.
Real Madrid fields one of the deepest—and certainly the most expensive—squad football has ever known.
Predicting this starting eleven is difficult thanks to the number of players deserving of starts and Mourinho’s penchant for surprise lineups.
Here's my best guess for the XI Merengues we'll see on Wednesday.
Iker Casillas, Goalkeeper
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This one’s easy. Iker Casillas has shown recently that he’s still the best keeper in the world and he’ll be back under the uprights on Wednesday.
After a pair of impeccable performances in Clásicos one and two, Madrid fans can expect more jaw-dropping saves in the Champions League.
Marcelo Vieira, Left Back
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As fundamental to Madrid’s defense as he is to their attack, Marcelo will square off against Pedro and Dani Alves—two of the fastest men on Barcelona’s squad.
Madrid will hope to see Marcelo shut down the left flank and expose that side of Barcelona’s defense, especially if Dani Alves drifts too far forward in attack.
Raúl Albiol, Centerback
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After sitting out the Copa del Rey final with a suspension, Albiól will bring his considerable size and strength back to the heart of Madrid’s defense. The biggest and strongest of Madrid’s defenders, he’ll be expected to lay down the law against Barça’s tiny attackers.
Albiol will also need to avoid silly mistakes like this take-down of David Villa that earned Barcelona a penalty kick in La Liga’s last Clásico.
Sergio Ramos, Centerback
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Joining Albiol in “la zaga” of Real Madrid will be Sergio Ramos. While he’s not so good with his hands, Ramos is darn good with his feet and he looked very sure of himself as a central defender in Madrid’s Copa win.
Normally a marauding right-back, Ramos appeared to gladly accept a purely defensive assignment—a sign that his considerable ego is being well managed by Jose Mourinho.
Álvaro Arbeloa, Right Back
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Replacing Ramos at right-back, exactly as in the Copa del Rey final, will likely be Álvaro Arbeloa. Capable is probably the best way to describe Arbeloa, a Spanish international who neither dazzles nor disappoints.
He’ll get to spend some more time with his national teammate David Villa—the two were involved in a rather heated exchange last time out and Arbeloa will again be tasked with defending “El Guaje.”
Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira, Defensive Midfield
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I’ll admit it, I just looked this one up. "Pepe" is the name we’re used to calling the Portugese beast who has almost single-handedly turned El Clásico world series in Madrid’s favor.
Normally a central defender, the versatile Pepe has featured in midfield in the last two outings against Barcelona and generally wrecked havoc for Real Madrid.
As part of Jose Mourinho’s shrewd “trivote” alignment (a midfield made up of three defensive players), Pepe will once again be free to harass Messi and surge forward in attack.
Xabi Alonso, Midfield
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Pepe’s partner in crime in the heart of midfield is Xabi Alonso, the technically gifted Spanish international who doesn’t mind getting very, very, dirty.
Xabi will once again stand up strong against Messi & Co., and will continue to feed Real Madrid’s speed with well-weighted through balls. Despite his height, Xabi’s dead-ball skills will mean he takes most of the corners for Real Madrid, as well as any free kicks from outside Ronaldo’s range.
Lassana Diarra, Defensive Midfield
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"Lass" is the final piece to Jose Mourinho’s “trivote.” This is a very tough call—and for the sake of football fans I hope I’m wrong—but I say Madrid again goes defensive with three holders in midfield.
Mourinho’s most likely alternative is the silky-smooth Mesut Ozil. The man many Madridistas want to see here is Ricardo Kaká, who looked absolutely deadly against Valencia in Real Madrid’s 6-3 romp.
If it ain’t broke, though, don’t fix it. Mourinho will likely start with three tough guys in midfield and bring on more firepower later in the match. Lass is a fantastic passer, a tireless defender and a class act.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Right Wing
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Perhaps the most physically gifted man in football, Cristiano Ronaldo is living up to the hype for Real Madrid. Responsible for both goals against Barcelona so far, he’ll be ready to rock and roll again on Wednesday.
Despite getting zero respect from the referee in the Cup final, Ronaldo kept on coming and eventually broke the hearts of Barcelona with a dazzling header goal. His speed and skill in the open field is ridiculous and as Madrid’s best player, he once again represents the biggest threat to Barcelona’s chances.
Angel Di Maria, Left Wing
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There are plenty of players that could steal Di Maria’s spot in the starting XI, but Mourinho seems to like the speed he brings to Madrid's counterattack and I think he’ll be out there again on Wednesday.
Di Maria is having a great year for Madrid, and after sitting out Saturday’s match against Valencia, he should be feeling fresh for Barcelona.
The alternatives here are Ricardo Kaká and Mesut Ozil.
Gonzalo Higuain, Center Forward
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El Pipita! Madrid’s most consistent striker over the past couple of seasons, Higuain has had some injury issues this year and missed the first two Clásicos.
But after a hat-trick against Valencia on Saturday, I don’t see how Mourinho can keep him out of the starting XI here, especially considering neither Karim Benzema nor Emanual Adebayor can hold on to a spot in Mourinho’s lineup.
Higuain is one of the best technical finishers I’ve ever seen, able to beat the keeper from all sorts of angles. He’s the man you want on the end of a low screaming cross.
The obvious alternative is Karim Benzema, who also looked terrific against Valencia.
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