Rio Ferdinand’s Man Utd and Man City Champions League final combined XI | OneFootball

Manchester City have an opportunity to make history when they face Inter in the Champions League final.

Ninety minutes of football is all that stands between them and their first Champions League trophy.

They will also complete an incredible treble if they win, having lifted the Premier League and FA Cup already this campaign.

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The only other team in England to successfully lift that trio of trophies was Manchester United’s 1998/99 squad.

And ahead of City’s massive match, United legend Rio Ferdinand has picked a combined XI.

He might not have joined United till 2002, but he did lift the trophy in the 2007/08 season when the Red Devils beat Chelsea in Moscow.

So Ferdinand has pitted that team against City’s current Champions League hopefuls, putting players in each position against each other.

Ferdinand’s UCL Manchester combined XI

Goalkeeper and defence

Only one City player gets into the combined XI’s back line.

In goal, Rio went for Edwin van der Sar over Ederson, probably not too controversial given the Dutchman’s achievements.

A two-time Champions League winner and four-time Premier League champion, as well as 132 clean sheets in the division – the eighth-most of all time.

He also proved to be the hero in Moscow that night, saving the crucial penalty from Nicolas Anelka.

Kyle Walker takes the right-back spot over Wes Brown, but Ferdinand picks himself over the “Barnsley Beckenbauer” John Stones.

And while Ruben Dias might be one of the best central defenders in the league today, Rio went for his teammate Nemanja Vidic in the second centre-back spot.

The United defenders made a fearsome pairing during their time together, and are regarded as one of the best defensive partnerships the league has ever seen.

And to complete the back four, Ferdinand selects Patrice Evra over Nathan Ake.

Hardly a surprise given the City defender is not even a natural full-back.

Man City dominate the midfield but no Kevin De Bruyne

This is where things get a tad controversial.

City earn two spots out of three, with Ilkay Gundogan preferred over Owen Hargreaves.

Consistency arguably plays a big part here. Hargreaves was excellent for United during that Champions League winning season, playing 31 matches in total.

But he barely featured in the four subsequent seasons at United, making just six appearances in all competitions because of injuries.

Gundogan, meanwhile, has been an integral part of all Pep Guardiola Man City teams.

He has scored no less than 10 goals in all competitions during his last three seasons at the club, with his output, work rate and technical ability making him one of the Premier League's finest midfielders.

His Man City teammate Rodri also makes the cut over Michael Carrick.

The Englishman was excellent, establishing himself as a key player at United after joining in 2006.

But Rodri is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world today, and earns a spot in Rio's team.

But the controversial decision from Ferdinand here is to omit Kevin De Bruyne for Paul Scholes.

Now, we’re not saying this because Scholes was not a fantastic player. He is revered by so many ex-pros, was renowned as an incredible passer and creator, and is thought of by many as one of the Premier League's best-ever midfielders.

But De Bruyne could also arguably be included in the debate about the best playmakers.

He is one of the most dangerous players on the ball, able to create or score at will.

Only three players have assisted more goals than the Belgian in the league's history, and his 64 goals aren’t too shabby either.

Ferdinand did say his teammate “just” gets in over De Bruyne, but there will be plenty who believe that the City man should have got the spot.

United in attack

While City dominate the midfield, it’s United who lock out the attack.

Ferdinand selects Cristiano Ronaldo, the man who scored for United in Moscow during that final, over Jack Grealish.

Not too surprising that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner gets into the team here.

Off the right, Argentine World Cup winner Julian Alvarez is snubbed for his compatriot, Carlos Tevez.

And through the middle, Ferdinand leaves record-breaker Erling Haaland out for Wayne Rooney.

Haaland has been mightily impressive during his first season in English football, but as Rooney is the third-highest goal scorer in Premier League history, it’s an understandable choice from Rio.

Watch: Ferdinand's UCL final combined XI

And in one final selection, the United veteran opts for Sir Alex Ferguson over Guardiola as manager of the incredible team.

Makes sense to put the current treble winner in over the hopeful one. But if City get the job done on Saturday, a case for Pep could be made…