Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi make team but, ahead of crunch El Clasico clash, who joins the star duo?

Real Madrid and Barcelona go head-to-head in crunch El Clasico this Saturday
The Bernabeu match will see two European giants compete for bragging rights
Each side features a number of talented players - but who will star in Madrid?
Ahead of the mouthwatering encounter, Sportsmail has picked a combined XI

Real Madrid and Barcelona will look to give their fans an early Christmas present on Saturday when they go head-to-head in a mouthwatering El Clasico.

The Santiago Bernabeu clash will see two European giants compete for bragging rights before the Spanish league's brief winter break.

Each side features a number of talented players, but imagine a world in which the two teams were merged. Which players — if everybody was fit — would make a combined line-up?

Here, Sportsmail has put in the leg work and picked a team.

GOALKEEPER — KEYLOR NAVAS OR MARC-ANDRE TER STEGEN

Has to be the German who has been brilliant these last four months. Navas has had injury problems and dropped a couple of clangers. Ter Stegen is beginning to look like the best in the world.

Pick: Ter Stegen

RIGHT BACK — DANI CARVAJAL OR SERGI ROBERTO

Spain's first choice (Roberto doesn't even make Spain squad) so it's an easy choice. In fairness to Roberto, he's a natural midfielder and is sharing the position with Nelson Semedo.

Pick: Carvajal

CENTRE BACK — SERGIO RAMOS OR THOMAS VERMAELEN

It's tempting to say the formal Arsenal man because, over the last few weeks since Samuel Umtiti's injury, he has been excellent. But Ramos doesn't just defend, he attacks and captains the side well too.

Pick: Ramos

CENTRE BACK — RAPHAEL VARANE OR GERARD PIQUE

Still the best at what he does: marshalling the defence, starting the attacks, commanding in the air. Varane was brilliant in the World Club Cup final but Pique gets the nod.

Pick: Pique

LEFT BACK — MARCELO OR JORDI ALBA

He's been one of Barcelona's best players so far this season and he's Lionel Messi's new greatest source of passes to goal. The pair have formed a similar partnership to the one Messi once had with Dani Alves. Marcelo has been below par this season.

Pick: Alba

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD — CASEMIRO OR SERGIO BUSQUETS

Busquets is the best in the world in his position. Still pirouettes his way out of trouble leaving everyone else scrambling in his wake. Could play in his Sunday best without putting a crease in his suit or scuffing his brogues.

Pick: Busquets

CENTRE MIDFIELD — LUKA MODRIC OR IVAN RAKITIC

He was brilliant in Abu Dhabi as Real Madrid were crowned World Club champions. Rakitic has had a good season but Modric can't be topped when he is at his best — and he is back to his best on last Saturday's showing.

Pick: Modric

CENTRE MIDFIELD — ISCO OR ANDRES INIESTA

Isco's disco or Iniesta's ballet? It's a tough one but Iniesta edges it for impact in big games. His performance against Deportivo last week was off the scale for poise and control. He had to run too much under Luis Enrique, but he's enjoying himself under Ernesto Valverde.

Pick: Iniesta

ATTACKING MIDFIELD — TONI KROOS OR PAULINHO

Seems scandalous to leave out Kroos. Remember when these two met in a World Cup semi-final three years ago and Kroos' Germany won 7-1? But Paulinho is out-scoring every other midfielder in La Liga. He's been getting important goals and giving Barcelona qualities they were lacking last season.

Pick: Paulinho

STRIKER — KARIM BENZEMA OR LIONEL MESSI

One has 14 goals and the other has two. Although even if those stats were reversed you would still pick Messi. No one has more Clasico goals. Will be 'the' decisive player once more.

Pick: Mess

STRIKER — CRISTIANO RONALDO OR LUIS SUAREZ

It's 8 in 8 now for Ronaldo and he will be full of confidence after grabbing the winning goal in the World Club Cup. Suarez was brilliant last weekend and is bang back on form but Ronaldo edges him out.

Pick: Ronaldo

SUPER SUB — GARETH BALE OR ALEIX VIDAL

If the game is decided from the bench then the chances are it will be decided by Bale. He has made a big impact coming on in his last three games. Pace and power could really swing this fixture in the last 10 minutes, and throw Madrid right back into the title race.

Pick: Bale

MANAGER — ZINEDINE ZIDANE OR ERNESTO VALVERDE

He picked up the pieces of Real Madrid's win over Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup and built something new and formidable. Without Neymar, without Philippe Coutinho who was promised but never signed, and with Ousmane Dembele bought but injured — Valverde is one of the key reasons why Barcelona are top.

Pick: Valverde