One of the Champions League games of the week comes in Group H, where La Liga and European champions Real Madrid host Tottenham. The duo have six points from the opening two matches in the first of two games the pair will play out over the next two match days in Europe’s elite club competition. With Borussia Dortmund up against APOEL, it’s vital neither side drops points over their next 180 minutes of Champions League action.
Without further adieu, we run through three key head-to-head battles that could determine the result in Tuesday’s clash at the Bernabeu.
Sergio Ramos vs Harry Kane
Ballon d’Or nominees Sergio Ramos and Harry Kane are expected to do battle in Madrid on Tuesday. Ramos is one of only four defenders shortlisted, while Kane is the only Englishman to make the cut in the famed accolade. Both come into this one having helped their respective sides to victory on Saturday, with Ramos making the cut at the very last minute due to a stomach bug. He’s not expected to experience such issues ahead of the welcome of Spurs, but is likely to be handed a stern examination up against Kane.
The England international may have faltered against Bournemouth, but he’s been in fine form in the Champions League, scoring more goals (5) than any other player in Europe’s elite club competition. He’s scored the opening goal in each of his last four away Spurs appearances and Ramos must be on top form from the get go in order to minimise Kane’s impact in front of goal. Real Madrid have kept just one clean sheet in their last six competitive matches, and with Keylor Navas a doubt ahead of the fixture, Ramos needs to display his influence and defensive quality to help shut Kane and others out.
The 31-year-old Real Madrid captain boasts the necessary athleticism to contain Kane, while his no-holds barred approach to defending is required to keep the Spurs man at bay. An average of 74.9 passes per game is the third most of La Liga defenders this season and highlights Ramos’ role to play in not only defending opponents but starting attacks from the back. If Kane can cut the lines between the Real Madrid defence and midfield, the Spanish outfit will find it difficult to play at their usual tempo and present Spurs with the opportunity to cause an upset in Madrid.
Casemiro vs Christian Eriksen
Running with the Ballon d’Or theme, both of these players weren’t shortlisted for the accolade, but have solid grounds to have been nominated. Casemiro’s defensive discipline allows for the creative stars to exert themselves in the final third and allows for a more fluid Real Madrid outfit. Indeed, at the time of writing only Asier Illarramendi (156) has made more tackles and interceptions combined than Casemiro (150) in 2017. The Brazilian’s penchant for a Champions League goal adds to his already impressive repertoire, with the combative star netting what proved to be the winning goal in the 2017 final win over Juventus having bagged a spectacular volley against Napoli on Real Madrid’s way to Cardiff.
However, it’s the defensive nous required to stem the flow of Tottenham attacks, notably through the ever consistent Christian Eriksen. With Dele Alli suspended, Spurs’ offensive moves will be funnelled through Eriksen, more so than ever before. No player has made more key passes than the Spurs creator in chief (83) in 2017, while he has a knack for scoring important goals. Eriksen has scored six times this calendar year, four of which have earned Spurs an additional eight points, including his sole strike in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Bournemouth.
As Tottenham’s key man, Real Madrid will undoubtedly keep a close eye on Eriksen, with Casemiro the man tasked with keeping the Denmark star on a short leash. However, the Brazil international could have a tougher than expected task on his hands. The potential absence of Dani Carvajal could see young right-back Achraf Hakimi feature from the off and as talented as the youngster may be, Spurs may target his inexperience as a route to goal. The could leave Casemiro overworked and present Tottenham with the chance to capitalise on a possibly stretched midfield, which in turn would benefit Eriksen.
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Toby Alderweireld
Cristiano Ronaldo netted the decisive goal in Real Madrid’s hard fought 2-1 win over Getafe on Saturday evening with his late strike his first in La Liga this season. While his league form has left little to the imagination, Ronaldo’s Champions League goalscoring record has lived up to expectations. Only Kane (5) has more goals in Europe’s top elite club competition than the Real Madrid star (4) this season, with his quartet of goals taking him to 14 in nine Champions League appearances in 2017. Much to Real Madrid’s gain, the 32-year-old’s first league goal of the campaign will only heighten his confidence in his bid to drag Los Blancos to a vital three points.
Yet, in Toby Alderweireld, Spurs boast one of the Premier League’s best centre-backs. The Belgian continues to shine for the north London side, though Tuesday’s trip to Madrid poses arguably his toughest test of the campaign to date. With Danny Rose sidelined and Ben Davies potentially absent, Mauricio Pochettino may do away with the three-man defence, though Real Madrid’s 4-3-1-2 formation suggests the Argentine would be wise to keeping with the setup. Either way, though, Ronaldo’s tendency to pull to the left before cutting onto his wicked right foot means Alderweireld is likely to be the defender standing between the Portuguese forward and Hugo Lloris in the Spurs net.
Tottenham have kept a clean sheet in all but one of their last five competitive matches and have conceded just two goals in five away games this season. However, the trip to Madrid is a mountainous obstacle to overcome and kicks off a tough run of games that could define Spurs’ season. A positive result on Tuesday sets the tone for the coming weeks, though achieving that will take maximum effort from the players. Ronaldo is experienced enough in the Champions League to know what is required to secure all three points and one can expect the Real Madrid sensation to be in the mood when Spurs make the trip to Madrid.
