Champions League combined semi-finals XIs: Does anyone displace Gabriel and Saliba? How many PSG players?

Gabriel, right, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia feature heavily in our writers' combined XIs for the four remaining teams Getty Images Share articleThe Champions League is approaching its conclusion. Only four teams are left, with holders Paris Saint-Germain hosting a seemingly all-conquering Bayern Munich side and Arsenal travelling to Atletico Madrid in this week’s first legs of the semi-finals. The winners of those ties will meet in the final in Budapest, Hungary, on Saturday, May 30. There will be plenty of stars in action in those games on Tuesday and Wednesday — from the Ballon d’Or-winning Ousmane Dembele to the insatiable Harry Kane, via the nonchalance of Michael Olise and the defensive might of Arsenal’s Gabriel and centre-back partner William Saliba. But what is the best possible combined XI of the players still in with a chance of winning this season’s competition? Six of these selections were very straightforward. The two full-backs (Paris Saint-Germain duo Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes) are currently unrivalled in their positions in European football, as is their midfield team-mate Vitinha. Kane is enjoying another outstanding season at Bayern — he scored his 50th club goal of the season in the quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid and now has 53 in total — and I can’t pick a team of the semi-finals without including Gabriel, who is outstanding at the heart of Arsenal’s defence, and PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (above), who is just a joy to watch. It was harder to differentiate in the other positions. I could have gone for Declan Rice of Arsenal in midfield, but I preferred the experience and know-how of Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich and the extreme technical quality of PSG’s Joao Neves. There’s a sixth player from the reigning European champions in central defence: their 31-year-old captain Marquinhos, who gets better with age. The other attacking role could have gone to Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, Desire Doue of PSG, Bayern’s Luis Diaz or Dembele, with others shifting around accordingly, but I’ve gone for Olise as a right-winger, even though he has played primarily as a No 10 for the German giants. I didn’t feel spoilt for choice when it came to the goalkeeper position. Manuel Neuer of Bayern is an all-time great and Atletico’s Jan Oblak was outstanding in his prime, but in 2026, I will somewhat hesitantly go for David Raya of Arsenal. That makes it six picks from PSG, three from Bayern, two from Arsenal and none from Atletico. That tells you which of the semi-finals is the stronger match-up. Gabriel, Saliba and Raya were all pretty straightforward picks for me and give my side a solid, Arsenal-flavoured base. As Oli says, the two PSG full-backs are streets ahead of anyone else in their positions, so (SPOILER ALERT) I’m not surprised they’re in everyone’s XI. Vitinha is the best midfielder in the world and I’m pairing him with Neves, his Parc des Princes partner-in-crime. I was tempted to include Kimmich as well, but having three pint-sized technicians struck me as overkill. Instead, I’m going for four attackers. Kane is the obvious selection up front. Kvaratskhelia is a menace on the left, particularly with Mendes bombing up outside him. Olise (above) would provide a similar threat on the right, but he has such vision and poise that I prefer him to play more centrally. Dembele completes the XI, returning to his old position, wide on the right, but with licence to cut inside — or, indeed, to do whatever the hell he pleases. Neuer had a dreadful second leg against Madrid but he’s the only one among the four available goalkeepers who has won anything significant — I want that experience in my side, even if he is now 40 years old and his current form is iffy. The defence picks itself; there’s nothing controversial there. Bayern’s Dayot Upamecano is a natural choice as the more proactive centre-back: excellent with the ball, increasingly resilient without it. In midfield, I want some of that Premier League physicality running through my team’s heart, so Rice (above) gets a chance and will provide some dynamism behind my two artisans, Vitinha and Neves. Up front, I refuse to not pick Olise and Kane, both of whom have been much too good this season. However, I stave off accusations of Bundesliga bias by opting for Kvaratskhelia rather than Diaz. There’s not much between the two of them, and I’m not giving anything up by choosing one over the other. I’m with Seb on his Neuer (above) justification. At the sharp end of the competition, I want an indulgence of experience and Champions League know-how. That explains why I have taken three of my four defenders from champions PSG. The blistering full-backs pick themselves, with Marquinhos leading my team alongside the more-than-capable Saliba. Vitinha and Neves simply must come as a pair, leaving Rice to have the freedom to play box-to-box and break forward when he sees space to gallop into. The most difficult decision is across the forward line. It is an impossible choice to make, but their mesmeric form means Kane and Olise must go in — dovetailing beautifully in their creative and goalscoring output. That leaves the left flank, and Kvaratskhelia edges it for me. The 25-year-old Georgian’s ability to glide forward and thunder in a finish is one thing, but keep an eye out for just how hard he works to win the ball back in those fleeting moments PSG give up possession. It seems a shame not to include an Atletico player. For his highlights reel alone, I would have loved to have their all-time top goalscorer Antoine Griezmann — but who can argue with that attack? Can I have the remaining unpicked players on the bench? We must get five substitutions, after all. The defence is a no-brainer. Arsenal have conceded by far the fewest goals in the competition (five) and have kept more clean sheets than any other side (eight), so Raya, Gabriel and Saliba have earned their spots. At full-back, Hakimi is fast, has experience in Champions League finals — a plus at this stage of the tournament — and adds further leadership. Mendes’ pace and skill make him the best left-back across the four clubs, as well as being a great ball-winner. In midfield, Vitinha (above) is a driving force and, alongside Neves, will control a game for me. They never stop running to press and dictate the tempo, so I refuse to pick one without the other. And I’ve chosen Kimmich because he’s been in top form heading into April and has the experience of winning multiple finals with Bayern. Olise (six) and Kvaratskhelia (five) are the top two assist providers among the teams still competing in this season’s Champions League. Olise will provide pace down the wing, Kvaratskhelia will get away from his marker with his speed and possesses a great shot. They’d make a fine combination. As for Kane, there’s little to say. The England captain guarantees goals — he reminds me of his Bayern predecessor Robert Lewandowski a few years back. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms