Busquets and Vinicius absent as Real Madrid edge Barcelona in combined El Clasico XI

It's the biggest game in club football and one that the watching world keeps tabs on, no matter your allegiance. El Clasico will again draw the attention of millions of football fans across the globe as Real Madrid and Barcelona lock horns once more. 

This time at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, and with no fans in attendance, Los Blancos are looking to leapfrog the Blaugrana into second and, temporarily, go level on points with league leaders Atletico Madrid at the top of the table. 

Real Madrid and Barcelona are the two form teams in LaLiga coming into Saturday's massive league meeting in the capital and victory for either side would likely spell the end of the other's title charge. With that in mind, WhoScored have provided their combined XI to whet the appetite ahead of the clash. 

To come into consideration, players must have made 10 or more league appearances this season, while injured or suspended players are excluded, which rules out the likes of Sergio Ramos and Ansu Fati. Without wasting further time, we run through the XI starting from back to front. 

Between the sticks, Thibaut Courtois (6.74) edges out Marc-Andre ter Stegen (6.72) in this XI. It's a close one, that's for sure, with the two shotstoppers vying with Jan Oblack as the best in their position in the league. Courtois is one of six Real Madrid players in the side, with Lucas Vazquez (7.19) the sole Los Blancos representative in defence. 

Compatriot Jordi Alba (7.09) occupies the left-back spot and is joined at the back by Gerard Pique (6.88) and Frenkie de Jong (7.16). The latter, a midfielder by trade, has been used in defence more than once by Ronald Koeman this season and he is set to feature at the back in El Clasico. 

Real Madrid's midfield trio of Luka Modric (7.10), Casemiro (7.46) and Toni Kroos (7.20) occupy the middle of the park in this combined XI. The three stars have formed a fine working partnership in the Real Madrid engine room and they'll again be key as Los Blancos seek to do the double over Barcelona. 

Rounding off the Los Blancos sextet is striker Karim Benzema (7.62). The Frenchman has scored 18 times in Spain's top tier this term, with eight of those coming in his last six league outings. Benzema has scored just six times in 23 LaLiga appearances against Barcelona, and he is currently on a nine-game barren run against the Spanish powerhouse, but his form of late suggests that dry spell will come to an end this weekend. 

Featuring on the right flank is the top rated player in Europe's top five leagues this season. Lionel Messi (8.54) has been exceptional for Barcelona, particulary in 2021 where he has been at his imperious best in the final third. Rounding off the XI is Barcelona frontman Antoine Griezmann (7.10). The Frenchman celebrated the birth of his third child on Thursday, but is expected to start in Madrid this weekend.