There is literally no beating a combined XI of Pep Guardiola's greatest ever players

Pep Guardiola is right up there with the greatest managers in history.

By the time he retires, who knows, maybe he’ll be regarded as the best.

After wrapping up his playing career in 2006 and then completing his initial, let’s say apprenticeship, with Barcelona B, the ingenious Spaniard has gone on to take charge of just three clubs – Barcelona (senior team), Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

And so as you can imagine, he’s also played boss to a vast number of footballing superstars which comes with the territory at top clubs.

I mean, he might be a groundbreaking manager, but even Guardiola couldn’t guide a squad full of 11 planks of wood to Champions League glory – nor could Sir Alex Ferguson do so with 10 and one so-called Zinedine Zidane, as he once said in jest.

In order to pursue the highest honours in the deeply competitive environment that is professional sport, you need the finest operators. And the Spaniard hasn’t won two Champions Leagues and 10 domestic titles for nothing.

So from across Guardiola’s reigns in Spain, Germany and England – who have been the very best to play under him?

Well, Transfermarkt reckon they have the conundrum sussed and, in truth, they’ve done a solid job. Aside from one key position…

Check out what they came up with below.

GK – Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)

An easy choice. Neuer has been one of the defining goalkeepers of his generation and would get the nod over nearly any alternative past or present.

RB – Dani Alves (Barcelona)

You don’t get to be the most decorated footballer in the history of the sport by not being one of the very best yourself.

The Brazilian has won a staggering 41 trophies across his record breaking career. He was also probably at the peak of his