Real Madrid’s midfield vs. Chelsea’s midfield
Yes, it is a cop-out to go with an entire midfield against another entire midfield, but I honestly could not boil this battle down to a single player. And although we have a very good idea of who will start in midfield for both sides, it is still possible for Carlo Ancelotti to have some sense and go with Fede Valverde…or for Thomas Tuchel to use the versatility in his squad to come up with a surprise for Carletto.
Real Madrid constructed one of the best midfields ever seen in the Champions League, as Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, and Casemiro formed the foundation of a team that won the competition an unprecedented three times in a row. Despite the fatigue and some inconsistencies, mostly from Casemiro in the unforgiving No. 6 role, “KCM” remains the cream of the crop.
They didn’t look like it, though, in 2020/21 when they went up against Chelsea. N’Golo Kante and even Jorginho received Ballon d’Or shouts in 2021 as a result of their stellar performances against Real Madrid. Mason Mount was also too much to handle, as he is an elite progressor and Chelsea’s leader in Premier League goals and assists. None of that even mentions a former Madrid standout in Mateo Kovacic, who has been arguably the Blues’ best player this season.
If anyone can outplay Real’s vaunted midfield trio, then it is Chelsea’s group. Not only have they proven it in the past, but Los Blancos looked quite vulnerable in the midfield against PSG, who have a markedly worse midfield than their Premier League counterparts.
This match will almost certainly be won in the middle of the park, but the fortunes of the players involved in the midfield battle will not be exclusively determined by their individual quality…