Three talking points ahead of Napoli vs Real Madrid | UEFA Champions League | OneFootball

A hard-fought, yet convincing win over Girona at the weekend helped Real Madrid reclaim their spot as league leaders in Spain. Their focus now shifts to defending their numero-uno position on other fronts.

The Merengues currently top Group C in the UEFA Champions League, despite a nervy game on Matchday 1 against Union Berlin. They are not alone at the top, however, with Napoli equalling their tally of three goals.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men thus face a second consecutive clash of the table-toppers, this time in Europe. On Tuesday, they will lock horns with Rudi Garcia’s men in Italy in what will be a fascinating fixture.

Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Napoli vs. Real Madrid.

The steepest climb of them all

When the UEFA Champions League draw pitted Real Madrid against Napoli, SC Braga and Union Berlin, it became glaringly clear that Los Blancos were favourites to advance.

Yet, it was concurrently accepted that finishing first in the group would be no mean feat. Napoli, after all, are the defending Serie A champions and contenders to win it all.

It thus goes without saying that Real Madrid’s biggest challenge in the group stages will be the two games against the Italian opposition.

The first of the two, slated for Tuesday, will be the significantly more difficult outing considering that it will be held in Naples. The Stadio Diego Armando Maradona has historically been a fortress for Napoli, with fans turning up in large numbers to cheer their team.

With Real Madrid visiting the esteemed venue, one can expect a jam-packed stadium and a hostile environment for Carlo Ancelotti’s men.

The Italian champions have only lost one game all season, to Lazio at home, and currently sit third on the Serie A standings. If Real Madrid can inflict a second defeat of the season on the Naples-based side, they will be in the driver’s seat to finish on top of the group.

The forgotten one

A big night for Luka Modric. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)

Last week, reports of Luka Modric’s dissatisfaction at Real Madrid emerged. The Croatian star believes that he still has a lot to offer to the club and does not understand his sudden fall in prominence.

The veteran played no part in Real Madrid’s last two games. He started on the bench against Las Palmas and Girona and did not come off the bench in either fixture.

Having started just two of the team’s eight league games so far, Modric’s frustration is warranted. Yet, it could well be Ancelotti’s game plan to reserve his best weapon for the biggest nights.

If reports are to be believed, the midfield maestro will start against Napoli midweek and be the heart of Los Blancos’ midfield. Needless to say, it comes as a massive chance for the veteran to prove that he has still got the magic.

Ancelotti will likely place Toni Kroos on the bench if Modric is to start. Instead, the Croatian could link up with Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni in the middle of the park. Jude Bellingham would complete the midfield in the advanced role.

All eyes will be on Modric on Tuesday night if he is handed a start by the manager. After all, he often reserves his finest shows for the big stages.

Selection dilemmas

Carlo Ancelotti must play every card on Tuesday night with a clear plan in mind, and the starting lineup will play a critical role in the result. Yet, the manager has some straightforward decisions and other mind-boggling ones.

One of the biggest decisions Ancelotti must make for the game midweek is in the forward line. Vinicius Jr is assured one of the two starting spots in the final third, but both Joselu and Rodrygo make strong cases to start alongside the Brazilian.

The former brings a goalscoring instinct and clinical finishing to the table, while the latter promises great off-the-ball movement and the potential to unlock defences.

The obvious decision would appear to go with the Spaniard, especially considering his recent goalscoring record. Yet, rumour has it that the manager sees Rodrygo as a better option against Napoli.

The second big dilemma rests at left-back. Ferland Mendy and Fran Garcia were the two front-runners to start at defence, but Eduardo Camavinga’s start at left-back against Girona threw the equation wide open.

Ancelotti refused to rule out the midfielder as an option at left-back in his press conference, and it will be interesting to see who gets the final nod.