Juventus take on holders Real Madrid in the 2016-17 season’s showpiece tie, the UEFA Champions League final, on Saturday at Cardiff, with both teams packed to the brim with top-notch talents. 

The tie at the Millennium Stadium seems to be impossible to call, as Juventus are the form team whereas Madrid have the pedigree. Both sides wrapped up their league titles last week, with Madrid ending a drought of five years while Juventus securing their sixth league triumph on the trot.

So imagine how difficult it would be to make a combined XI from this year’s finalists? Well, The Statesman has done just that, in a 3-4-3 formation, for you:

Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Buffon

His career with the Bianconeri may well be in its final moments, but the man who broke the world record for a goalkeeper in 2001 is still going strong even as he nears his fourth decade. While Keylor Navas has been in fine fettle between the sticks this season, ‘Gigi’ beats him hands down (pun unintended).

Centre-Back: Giorgio Chiellini

Considering he is 32, opposing forwards should, at least in theory, be exposing him for his apparent lack of pace. Yet, the 6’2 Italian continues to prove that Italians get better with age. With most of Real’s central defenders struggling with injuries or form, this was an easy pick. A real danger from set-pieces as well. 

Centre-Back: Sergio Ramos

While all the news have been around teammate Cristiano Ronaldo’s goalscoring exploits, it’s easy to forget that Ramos has notched 10 goals this season. For a centre-back, that is a ridiculous stat and his discipline record has been quite decent as well, with just the one sending off. Right now, he is at the peak of his powers and rightly denies Andrea Barzagli from making it an all-Italian back-three.

Centre-Back: Leonardo Bonucci

The best centre-back in the world? Right, now it would be hard to argue otherwise. In the peak of his career, the 30-year-old is arguably the most crucial part of Juventus’ ‘BBC’. Standing at 6’3, he is a danger man at corners and free kicks like his teammate Chiellini, but his defensive qualities are the ones that truly shine on a weekly basis.

Left Wing-Back: Marcelo

After some Italian steel, it is time for Brazilian flair. World football’s premier left-back Marcelo has been sensational at times in the past few months. Without his cavalier displays on the overlap, it wouldn't be a stretch to say Real probably wouldn't have reached the final. With an impressive 11 assists this season, it’s easy to see why he beats off a challenge from countryman Alex Sandro. 

Right Wing-Back: Dani Alves

The other Brazilian wing-back in this set-up, Dani Alves has matched, if not bettered Marcelo’s displays. Against his former club Barcelona, the 34-year-old made a mockery of the Catalan club’s transfer policy by running rings around them. He followed it up with a man of the match showing against Monaco and his tireless running on the right-flank makes him a forces to be reckoned with. 

Centre Midfield: Toni Kroos

Arguably Madrid’s standout midfielder this season, the unflappable German has been in cruise control for a majority of Los Blancos’ games. His ability to ping passes around the pitch is reminiscent of the man he was hired to replace, Xabi Alonso. However, the similarities end there as Kroos is much more of an offensive-minded player than the Spaniard, as his tally of 14 assist attests. Fellow German Sami Khedira is well-settled in Turin, but Kroos has definitely been elite this season and deserves his place in this team. 

Centre Midfield: Miralem Pjanic

Mixing craft with graft like no other can, is Juventus’ Bosnian general. Signed for a considerable fee in the summer (€32 million), it’s safe to say the 27-year-old has been an instant hit with the Bianconeri. Playing a deeper role than he was accustomed to at Roma, he has fast become one of the first names on Massimiliano Allegri’s team sheet. He beats off Madrid hard-man Casemiro and Croatian Luka Modric on the basis of his all-round capabilities as much as his versatility. Set-pieces, crunching tackles, defence-splitting passes, you name it and Pjanic will do it.

Left Wing: Cristiano Ronaldo 

C for clutch, c for clinical and c for Cristiano Ronaldo. Too much? Not when you have scored 14 goals in your last nine games (including consecutive hat-tricks against Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid)! At 32, he may not be the prime athlete he once was, but still manages to be decisive at the business end of the season. Give him a glimmer of a chance, and you can bet he’ll score. While Mario Mandzukic has been impressive for the Old Lady, CR7 would walk into any starting XI currently and the Croatian didn't have a chance. 

Centre Forward: Gonzalo Higuain

A club-record signing, ‘Pipita’ was acquired to score goals and with over 30 for the season, it would be correct to assume he has delivered. Critics will argue he doesn't bring much into the team, but the fact that he manages to score more often than not surely gives him some leeway. His hold-up play is extremely underrated, allowing teammates to join in the attack. The man because of whom he was forced to leave Madrid, Karim Benzema, has been poor for majority of the season and Madrid are probably rueing their decision to let Higuain go. 

Right Wing: Paulo Dybala

The crown jewel in the Bianconeri’s line-up, ‘La Joya’ certainly brings joy on the faces of those watching when he plays. Purely on statistics, he may be well behind Higuain and Ronaldo for the season, but his dribbling, pace on and off the ball, and an uncanny ability to find a teammate with the ball make him a player who has the potential to win the Ballon d’Or in the near future. With Gareth Bale injured too often, this was a no-contest, even if you consider the fact Dybala generally plays behind the striker and not the right wing.

Final score: Juventus 7, Real Madrid 4