We’ve delved into all of the stats using the Squawka Comparison Matrix to pick out a combined Barcelona and Real Madrid XI ahead of the La Liga clash on Sunday.
Check the stats and see our eventual combined XI below. The players we’ve chosen to compare are a combination of the teams’ most-used XIs so far at this early stage of the season and predicted lineups for the match itself.
Goalkeeper: Joan Garcia vs Thibaut Courtois
The team starts with a close battle between two of the best goalkeepers in the world right now. Thibaut Courtois is certainly the busier man, having to make 3.22 saves per 90 minutes in La Liga this season. The Belgian has a decent save record too at 76.32%, better than Joan Garcia’s 68.18% — the Spaniard also makes fewer saves per 90 (2.0).
But Garcia wins in the key goalkeeping metrics. The Barcelona man has averaged 0.53 clean sheets per 90 in La Liga with 0.93 goals conceded. Courtois, on the other hand, has conceded 1.0 goals per 90 with just 0.22 clean sheets. The pair offer similar abilities when it comes to passes. Courtois does complete more passes, including long passes, but Garcia is more accurate. The Barcelona man just gets the nod over his Real Madrid counterpart.
Winner: Joan Garcia
Right-back: Eric Garcia vs Denzel Dumfries
There are a quite a few possibilities for this match up in the game, with neither right-back spot nailed down. But Eric Garcia and Denzel Dumfries are the main choices and present another close battle. This really depends on what you want from a full-back. If you want to focus on the attacking roles, Dumfries is your man. He has created 0.86 chances and attempted 0.86 crosses per 90 in La Liga. The Dutchman also has more success in his ground duels, winning 61.9%.
But two of those wins for Dumfries are only marginal. Garcia isn’t too far behind with his 0.75 chances created per 90, nor his 61.29% success rate in ground duels. And Garcia wins all the key defensive battles. The Spaniard has averaged 2.38 tackles made per 90, slightly more than Dumfries’ 2.36. He has also won more duels per 90 at 2.83 to 2.79, despite the slightly lower success rate. Garcia averages more clearances (2.83), interceptions (0.75) and ball recoveries (4.92) per 90 too.
Winner: Eric Garcia
Centre-backs: Pau Cubarsi vs Gerard Martin vs Ibrahima Konate vs Dean Huijsen
There’s a runaway winner in the centre-back battle and it’s Dean Huijsen. The Real Madrid centre-back has had a solid season so far, and leads a lot of the key metrics. He has the best passing accuracy of this quartet with 96.59%, despite ranking third for forward passes per 90 with 26.15. Gerard Martin has the worst pass accuracy at 93.07% but he does average the most forward passes per 90, with 30.89%. That’s actually helped the Barcelona man make this team, alongside his 5.83 clearances per 90.
Huijsen has the defensive strength across the board. He has averaged 1.52 tackles per 90, slightly ahead of Pau Cubarsi’s 1.41, and he has the best success in ground duels. That has been a help with teammate Ibrahima Konate only winning 43.75% of his ground duels. Huijsen also leads for his 1.67 interceptions per 90, again beating second-placed Cubarsi (1.41).
Winners: Gerard Martin and Dean Huijsen
Left-back: Joao Cancelo vs Marc Cucurella
We complete our defence with a Real Madrid player. But it was another close battle between Joao Cancelo and Marc Cucurella. Both players have a mix of qualities that intertwine quite nicely. Cucurella leads for his 0.48 chances created per 90, although Cancelo’s 0.44 isn’t too far behind. Cancelo has also attempted significantly more crosses than his Real Madrid counterpart at 3.06 to 0.80 per 90. Defensively, Cancelo wins the battle for his clearances (2.62) and interceptions (0.87) per 90, too.
But Cucurella is better in the duel. He has averaged 3.03 tackles made per 90 in La Liga this season, more than double Cancelo’s 1.31. Cucurella has also had more success with his 3.5 ground duels won per 90, with 62.86% success. Cancelo has only won 29.41% of his ground duels. Cucurella has made more ball recoveries too, at 5.42 per 90. And that is enough to win him his spot in this team.
Winner: Marc Cucurella
Central midfielders: Rodri vs Pedri vs Federico Valverde vs Aurelien Tchouameni
It may come as no surprise to see the Barcelona pairing of Rodri and Pedri coming out on top here. Well, Rodri comes out on top, and Pedri just about nicks second. There still aren’t many better midfielders in the world right now than Rodri, even with the Spaniard having suffered long-term injuries. His passing is second to none in this fixture, with an accuracy of 95.19% — better than second-placed Aurelien Tchouameni and teammate Pedri. He is also the most frequent forward-passer, averaging 24.72 per 90 in La Liga.
But Rodri isn’t just a passer. He is also a strength defensively. The Spaniard wins this battle for duels won, ground duel success rate, tackles and clearances per 90. He only drops slightly for his 62.5% aerial success rate, losing to Pedri and Federico Valverde (100%). Pedri earns his spot alongside his teammate thanks to his 7.83 ball recoveries per 90, more than any other in the quartet.
Winners: Rodri and Pedri
Right winger: Lamine Yamal vs Endrick
This one was hardly fair. Endrick has had his moments for Real Madrid this season, but there’s no beating Lamine Yamal. The only metric in which Endrick did beat Yamal was for his 2.37 fouls won per 90, compared to the Barcelona man’s 1.58. But some will put that down to a difference in how the two players are refereed. Not to mention how little gametime Endrick has seen — though he could start this weekend.
Yamal is on another planet. He has averaged 0.97 goals per 90 in La Liga this season, from 1.94 shots on target. But the Spaniard has also created 3.89 chances per 90, bringing 0.73 assists. When Yamal gets on the ball he’s tough to stop, completing 4.37 take-ons per 90 with a 62.07% success rate. He can be a danger wherever he is, with 9.96 touches in the opposition box per 90 but also 2.06 through-balls per 90. What a player.
Winners: Lamine Yamal
No.10: Fermin Lopez vs Jude Bellingham
This is an interesting battle. Fermin Lopez has been more fruitful in terms of actual output. He has averaged 0.67 goals per 90 and 0.50 assists in La Liga this season. That’s compared to Jude Bellingham‘s 0.39 goals and 0.39 assists per 90. Lopez has also averaged more shots on target per 90 (1.51 to 0.91) and through-balls (0.84 to 0.78). But Bellingham has the better underlying numbers, which sees him edge this head-to-head.
Bellingham has created 2.35 chances per 90 in La Liga this season, slightly more than Lopez’s 2.17. The Englishman is also more accurate with his passes, completing 88.44% and is more involved in dangerous areas with 5.62 touches in the opposition box per 90. Once Bellingham is in full flow, it’s hard to stop him. The Real Madrid man has completed 2.87 take-ons per 90 this season, while also winning 3.13 fouls.
Winner: Jude Bellingham
Left winger: Anthony Gordon vs Yan Diomande
Yan Diomande has played his way into Jose Mourinho’s starting XI and he has done enough to make this combined team, ahead of Anthony Gordon. Gordon has started life well at Barcelona, and has averaged 7.62 touches in the opposition box per 90 — just more than Diomande’s 7.50. The Englishman also leads for shots on target per 90 at 1.45, though Diomande has the better scoring record, averaging 0.39 goals per 90.
It’s the opposite for creativity. Diomande has created more chances than Gordon (2.17 per 90 to 1.81) but the Barcelona man has the better assists record (0.73 per 90 to 0.39). Like Bellingham, though, Diomande then wins the key dribbling metrics. The Ivorian has averaged 4.54 take-ons completed per 90, with 65.71% success rate, and has won 2.37 fouls per 90.
Winner: Yan Diomande
Striker: Raphinha vs Kylian Mbappe
Raphinha has shone leading the line for Barcelona this season. He has already scored 12 goals in La Liga, at an impressive average of 1.88 per 90. That’s despite only taking 2.97 shots (excluding blocks) per 90. But accuracy has been big for the Brazilian, who has hit the target with 2.50 of his efforts. Raphinha has also created 2.5 chances per 90 with 0.47 assists.
But Kylian Mbappe wins the head-to-head. Although he has averaged fewer goals per 90, Mbappe has still managed 1.01 in La Liga. This comes despite having a lower conversion rate, and is because of his shot volume. Mbappe has averaged 4.35 shots (excluding blocks) per 90 in La Liga this season, with 3.02 on target. That’s more efforts on target than Raphinha has in total. Mbappe has also completed more take-ons, won more fouls and had more touches in the opposition box than his Barcelona counterpart.
Winner: Kylian Mbappe
