Man City vs Real Madrid: No Hazard but Zidane's side edge combined XI

In the build up to Friday night's mouthwatering Champions League round of 16 second leg tie between Manchester CIty and Real Madrid, we have assessed what a best XI might look like combining both squads.

Excluding injured and suspended players and with a minimum of 15 appearances across league and European competition this season, this year's LaLiga champions just edge City with six players to five in our combined XI.

Having finished with the best defensive record in Europe's top five leagues this season (0.65 goals conceded per game), Madrid unsurprisingly take up four spots between goalkeeper and defence, even with Sergio Ramos suspended.

Zinedine Zidane's side weren't as tight at the back in the Champions League but their dominance is still expected in this area of the pitch when you consider defensive mistakes really undermined City's ability to challenge Liverpool for the league title.

Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois won the Golden Glove award in Europe's top five leagues this season (18) and the former Chelsea shot-stopper is joined by Dani Carvajal, Raphael Varane and Ferland Mendy at the back. Aymeric Laporte is the only City representative in defence.

Moving into midfield and this is where City begin to leave their foot print on the team. Kevin De Bruyne has 36 goals and assists in league and European competition this season and is the star man in our combined XI with a WhoScored rating of 7.91.

The Belgium international is joined in a midfield bank of four by City team-mates Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling. The former has 25 goals and assists across league and European competition, while Sterling has played a direct hand in 28. Casemiro is Madrid's sole representative in midfield having not only managed 2.8 tackles per game across the two competitions, but also chipping in with nine goals and assists from defensive midfield.

Madrid broke the bank to sign Eden Hazard from Chelsea last summer but the 29-year-old has endured a season to forget, remarkably having managed just one goal in 21 league and European competition this season. Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are also big name absentees, while David Silva also misses out. Gareth Bale is no longer a Madrid player as far as Zidane is concerned.

Rounding off the team in attack is Karim Benzema of Madrid and City's Gabriel Jesus. Benzema inspired Madrid to the LaLiga title with a haul of 29 goals and assists and the former France international also has six goal contributions in this season's Champions League. With Sergio Aguero ruled out, however, Jesus has got an extended run in the starting XI and has 28 goals and assists across league and European competition.