Three questions ahead of Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid in the Champions League

Real Madrid get ready to take on Borussia Dortmund in the group stage of the Champions League. Here are three key questions ahead of that match.

Can Real Madrid contain the high flying Borussia Dortmund?

If the loss of Ousmane Dembele was supposed to hobble Borussia Dortmund’s attack, Dortmund’s  players apparently didn’t get the message. Dortmund is off to a flying start to their Bundesliga campaign.

Dortmund is currently setting club records for the best start to a Bundesliga season ever. After six matches, Dortmund has the club’s best ever record of sixteen points from their five wins and one draw.  That leaves them sitting pretty at the top of the Bundesliga table.

They also have their best ever goal differential, coming in at plus-eighteen after having scored nineteen and conceded only a single goal.  Given the problems that Real Madrid have had with putting the ball in the back of the net this season, the fact that Dortmund have only conceded one goal is scary enough as it is.

But the trickier part is going to be containing Borussia Dortmund’s high flying attack. Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Christian Pulisic, and Andriy Yarmolenko are forming a fierce attacking trio capable of picking apart defenses with ease.

Dortmund also has incredible strength in depth this season. With the likes of Maximilian Philipp, Julian Weigl, Jeremy Toljan and Mario Gotze all available as well, Borussia Dortmund has a versatile squad capable of competing at the highest levels of European Football.

Dortmund has caused Real Madrid problems in the past, knocking them out of the Champions League in 2013. Although Real Madrid managed to get revenge the following year, Dortmund will always be a tough challenge in the Champions League, and this season will be no exception.

Can Real Madrid find their form in Europe?

Real Madrid have had an abysmal start to the 2017 La Liga campaign. Despite being widely penned as shoe-ins for the 2017-2018 La Liga title after their rampant performances in the European and Spanish Super Cups, Real Madrid stumbled off the blocks and allowed Barcelona to pull out to a massive seven point lead in the race for the title.

After a last-minute goal from Real Betis snatched all three points away from Real Madrid at the Bernabéu, snapping Real Madrid’s record setting streak of consecutive matches with goals scored, it seemed that things were really starting to get ugly for Madrid.

Madrid got back to winning ways against Alavés at the weekend, but the win was less than convincing. Still unable to keep a clean sheet, Real Madrid relied on a first half brace from  newcomer Dani Ceballos  to get the three points in the nailbiting 1-2 affair.

Real Madrid need to find their top form, and they need to find it fast. The Champions League is Real Madrid’s tournament. They are the first team to win back-to-back Champions League trophies in the modern history of the tournament. If there is ever a place for Madrid to regain some confidence, it’s in Europe’s biggest sporting competition.

How will Zinedine Zidane deal with Real Madrid’s injury issues?

As if things weren’t already going poorly enough for Real Madrid, manager Zinedine Zidane has to deal with a series of injury issues that leaves his squad looking a bit thin.

This is especially true when discussing the left-back position. Theo Hernandez, Real Madrid’s backup left-back, was recovering from a dislocated shoulder when Marcelo went down with a hamstring injury. Real Madrid’s jack-of-all-trades defender Nacho deputized well against Alavés, but he’s not the ideal person for the job.

Theo did not make the squad for the trip to Dortmund, so it looks like we’ll be seeing more of Nacho at left-back against Borussia Dortmund. Nacho will need to be in top form, given the blistering attack Dortmund will be sending his way.

Madrid is also missing Karim Benzema who is out with a hamstring injury as well. Chances are, Zidane will play Ronaldo up top alongside Gareth Bale, who was rested at the weekend against Alavés, with Isco playing behind the two attackers. That leaves Marco Asensio as an option to bring on late into the game when legs are starting to tire.

In the midfield, it looks like Toni Kroos has recovered from the minor knock he got in training, but Mateo Kovacic is still recovering from injury and will not be available. I’d expect Zidane to roll out his preferred midfield trio of Kroos, Modric, and Casemiro.

Next: Check out our Champions League interview with BVB Buzz ahead of Dortmund vs Real Madrid

Stay tuned to The Real Champs for more coverage of Real Madrid’s clash with Borussia Dortmund.