Borussia Dortmund vs Bayern Munich combined XI: Haaland misses out to Lewandowski but places for Sancho and Gnabry
THE world will be watching tonight as Borussia Dortmund host Bayern Munich in Der Klassiker with everything on the line.
Both teams have picked up maximum points in the two rounds of fixtures since the league's resumption, so it's as you were in the title race - Bayern sitting four points clear with seven games remaining.
Triumph for Hansi Flick's side would likely be a knockout blow to Borussia's title hopes - but victory for the home side and Lucien Favre's men would sit just one point behind while holding all the momentum.
Bayern romped to a 4-0 victory in the reverse fixture in Flick's first game in charge following Niko Kovac's sacking... in front of a packed, passionate Allianz Arena.
Normally BVB would be roared on by 25,000 raucous supporters in the Yellow Wall alone, but with the match being played behind closed doors, the players will have to conjure up a method of beating their illustrious rivals themselves.
So with that in mind, SunSport takes a look at which players make a combined XI, and who can provide the edge tonight at Signal Iduna Park.
MANUEL NEUER
There has been talk of the Germany No1 slowing down at 34, particularly since his horrendous metatarsal fracture in 2017.
Alexander Nubel has been signed from Schalke to provide competition - but don't be writing Neuer's career obituaries just yet.
The reality is that he remains one of the best goalkeepers in the business, combining jaw-dropping strength and reflexes with an almost unique, trailblazing style of sweeper-keeping - often way outside his penalty area.
Roman Burki has been Borussia's No1 for five seasons now so he must be doing something right... but the reality is that Neuer has conceded fewer goals in more Bundesliga appearances this term.
ACHRAF HAKIMI
Bayern possess World Cup-winning right-back Benjamin Pavard among their ranks... but Achraf Hakimi has been a revelation at Signal Iduna Park throughout his loan switch from Real Madrid.
At 21, the Moroccan has the world at his feet and provides a major threat going forward.
He has laid on ten assists this season from full-back, with opposition defenders often struggling to cope with his speed and direct dribbling.
With a summer return to Real Madrid pending, Hakimi will soon have some big decisions to make regarding his future, but so far the sky is the limit.
MATS HUMMELS
Now 31, Hummels has spent the last 11 years hopscotching from Bayern to Dortmund, back to Bayern and then to Dortmund again for good measure.
A year ago when he was allowed to leave Allianz Arena after three years, it looked as though his career was on the wane.
But he has proved critics wrong this season, returning to prominence and becoming a key figure again at Signal Iduna Park, even captaining the side on occasion.
In fact, it looks very much as if Bayern flogged the wrong World Cup-winning defender, with Jerome Boateng creaking this year and being hooked against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday following a wretched display.
DAVID ALABA
More known to fans across the globe as a left-back, Alaba, 27, has had to step into the breach as a central defender more often-than-not this season because of persistent injury troubles for the likes of Niklas Sule and Lucas Hernandez.
But such is the Austrian's quality, he inspires a confidence that he could be virtually the best player on the pitch in any position he plays.
His time as central defender this season got off to an inauspicious start, as Eintracht Frankfurt romped past Bayern 5-1 in what was to be Kovac's final game in charge back in November.
But since then he has gone from strength-to-strength - playing a key role in the club's revival under Flick. He holds the edge over the likes of Manuel Akanji and the injured Dan-Axel Zagadou to make this XI.
ALPHONSO DAVIES
Arriving from Vancouver Whitecaps in January 2019 as a winger, Davies has been thrust into the side as a full-back this season following Alaba's deployment as a central defender.
And the 19-year-old has taken the opportunity in his stride, belying his youth and providing consistent, rip-roaring displays as a flying full-back this term.
His searing pace and dribbling ability make him a nuisance for any opposition defender, as his nine assists in all competitions this season attest to.
Raphael Guerreiro can count himself unlucky, having bagged eight goals this season himself - but his appearances have come more as a wing-back than full-back since Favre switched to a three-man defence in November.
JOSHUA KIMMICH
Now 26, Kimmich has come into his own as a truly supreme footballer at Bayern Munich.
Having often been utilised as a right-back down the years, he now appears to have finally cemented his place as a central midfielder, with his performances there just too good to ignore any longer.
His set-piece deliveries also offer an excellent attacking threat, as his seven assists this season illustrate.
Kimmich has the ability to control games from anywhere on the pitch with his passing range both short and long - and oozes class in a team that has had its fair share of classy midfielders in recent years.
THIAGO
Thiago is touch-and-go for tonight's match, having been unable to take part in full team training on Sunday.
Should the Spaniard miss out, he will be a huge miss for Flick.
Combining a velvet touch with supreme in-game intelligence and craft, the 29-year-old is truly one of Europe's great midfield players.
A delight to watch, Thiago partners Kimmich in our combined XI - although Axel Witsel is deserving of an honourable mention for his quality performances for BVB.
JADON SANCHO
What more can be written about this kid?
At just 20-years-old, Jadon Sancho has the world at his feet, with every top club in Europe purring at his remarkable progress at Signal Iduna Park.
Not only is the England international an exciting, electrifying presence on the Borussia Dortmund flank... but he backs it up with cold, hard statistics too.
In fact, he has provided 17 goals and 20 assists in all competitions this season and has broken a number of Bundesliga records since joining in 2017.
This productivity gets Sancho into our team ahead of Kingsley Coman.
THOMAS MULLER
With Julian Brandt a classy operator for Borussia Dortmund, nailing down the attacking midfielder in this XI is a difficult task.
But it just has to be Thomas Muller.
The 30-year-old has been written off in the past, he's had his ability questioned, but he remains an extremely influential player in front of goal.
Given a new lease of life under Flick, Muller has provided an extraordinary 17 Bundesliga assists this season and has become a regular again - scoring and assisting against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
SERGE GNABRY
This would have been more difficult had Marco Reus been fit, but as is sadly often the case, the BVB skipper will miss out with a muscle injury.
Gnabry himself has fitness issues, but did manage to play the final 26 minutes of Saturday's Frankfurt drubbing.
The 24-year-old will need no introduction to London-based football fans, having delighted supporters at former club Arsenal by scoring hatfuls against rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea this season.
In fact, Spurs fans will still have nightmares of Gnabry's brutal demolition of Serge Aurier back in September - and he has continued his stunning form since, scoring 18 goals and assisting a further 12 this campaign.
ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI
Erling Haaland has had an astonishing, record-breaking start to life at Borussia Dortmund... but for now Robert Lewandowski still reigns supreme.
Amazingly, stretching back to Haaland's time at RB Salzburg, the pair have an identical record this season - scoring 41 goals in 35 games in all competitions.
For now though, Lewandowski, 31, still edges his teenage counterpart.
While Haaland has impressed with his aggressive movement and instinctive finishing, Lewandowski is the complete striker - possessing elite skills in every single area of what makes the perfect No9.
But perhaps tonight can be the night that Haaland truly inspires a changing of the guard when it comes to the Bundesliga's best striker...
MOST READ IN FOOTBALL
CONCLUSION
Borussia Dortmund: 3
Bayern Munich: 8
While Lucien Favre possesses a squad brimming with outstanding quality and exciting young talent, there is a reason that Bayern are four points clear at the top of the table.
It will take a truly stunning effort from the Frenchman's young guns to topple Bayern this evening - but the match promises to be a stunning spectacle regardless - in a time unfortunately possessing very few of them.
