Paris St. Germain vs Bayern Munich: Combined XI of Champions League final
By Sachin Bhat
Defensive midfielder: Marquinhos (PSG)
Bayern has some quality midfielders in the defensive role such as Leon Goretzka and Thiago Alcantara, but the influence that Marquinhos has had recently is talismanic. His propensity to drive forward has yielded two goals in the last two knockout ties, even sparking an amazing comeback against Atalanta, though this has left the back-four completely exposed on the break. Yet, the Brazilian remains strong in the air with an accurate passing of the ball and a knack of making crunch tackles – qualities that will be crucial in breaking Bayern’s play.
Right-winger: Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich)
Blimey, what a season he’s had! Serge Gnabry has exorcised the ghosts of West Brom to stand on the cusp of lifting a historic treble with the Bavarians, and his influence on the side cannot be overstated. He’s scored 23 times and made further 14 assists to truly come of age, even taking Europe by storm as the German has netted nine times in the competition, all coming in games to Tottenham, Chelsea, Barcelona, and Lyon. He’s become the man for the big occasions, and few would bet against him finding the target on Sunday’s title-decider.
Attacking midfielder: Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)
From being a fringe player under Niko Kovac to regaining his best form under Hansi Flick, the Raumdeuter has turned his season around spectacularly. He broke the record for most assists in a single Bundesliga campaign with 21 and was also the destroyer-in-chief in the historic 8-2 rout of Barcelona recently. Muller’s influence on a match though, goes far beyond just goals and assists as his unparalleled ability to operate from pockets of space coupled with accurate passing makes him unplayable. He’s the quintessential ‘big-game player’ and will be absolutely vital in the finals.