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UEFA Champions League Wednesday Preview: Tottenham hosts Real Madrid, Man City travels to Napoli, and more

Following Tuesday’s Champions League return, action continues on Wednesday with some top matches on tap.

Two of Europe’s heavyweights will square off at Wembley Stadium as Tottenham Hotspur hosts Real Madrid. The sides played out a 1-1 draw earlier this month at the Bernabeu and the second time around should be just as good.

Elsewhere, two high-flying attacking sides will face off in Italy as Napoli welcomes Manchester City to town. Liverpool faces Maribor at Anfield, while Spartak Moscow travels to Sevilla.

Here’s a closer look at Wednesday’s action:

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR VS. REAL MADRID (3:45 p.m., Fox Sports 1)

Injuries of Note: After missing their weekend defeat to Manchester United, Tottenham striker Harry Kane is expected to play on Wednesday. Midfielder Victor Wanyama is still out for Spurs, while winger Erik Lamela returns after a lengthy spell out. Former Spur Gareth Bale remains out for Los Blancos, while keeper Keylor Navas and centerback Raphael Varane are also injured.

Key to the Game: Defensively, Spurs are one of the best teams in Europe. They were able to hang on for a point against Real Madrid on Matchday #3, but will need a strong team effort to limit their opponents for a second straight time.

Player to Watch: For Mauricio Pochettino’s side to really have a chance at three points, they will need Harry Kane to have an impact. The England international has scored 13 goals in 12 games for Tottenham, and will be important offensively for Spurs.

Quote: “He’s (Ronaldo) a phenomenon,” said Pochettino. “He has been awarded ‘The Best’ and the truth is that he deserves it. I do not know Cristiano in-depth, but he gives me the same feeling as Harry.”

NAPOLI VS. MANCHESTER CITY (3:45 p.m., Fox Sports 2)

Injuries of Note: Both teams come into this showdown fairly healthy which should add to the drama at the Sao Paolo. Manchester City are still without defenders Vincent Kompany and Benjamin Mendy, while Napoli’s only long-term absentee is striker Arkadiusz Milik.

Key to the Game: Manchester City and Napoli have rolled to the top spot in their respective leagues, thanks to explosive attacking fronts. If they do not come into this match with a strong defensive mindset, then we could see a shootout in Naples.

Players to Watch: For Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne has really played well to start this season. The 26-year-old has two goals and six assists across all competitions so far, and is a very influential part of City’s midfield. Napoli will look to counter with attacking midfielder Dries Mertens, who has 12 goals in 16 appearances this season.

Quote: “We know if we go to Napoli and win then we’ll have qualified,” said Kevin De Bruyne. “That would be a nice position for us to be in and then hopefully we can get another good win against Arsenal on Sunday and put some pressure on the rest of the teams.”

OTHER MATCHES:

Besiktas vs. AS Monaco (1:00 p.m., Fox Sports 2)

Sevilla vs. Spartak Moscow (3:45 p.m., ESPN 3)

Borussia Dortmund vs. Apoel Nicosia (3:45 p.m., Fox Soccer Match Pass)

FC Porto vs. RB Leipzig (3:45 p.m., Fox Soccer Match Pass)

Liverpool vs. NK Maribor  (3:45 p.m., ESPN 3)

Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Feyenoord  (3:45 p.m., Fox Soccer Match Pass)

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