2. Steel in the midfield
Much of Tottenham’s hope to dominate the midfield in this match comes down to Mousa Dembele’s fitness. If the Belgian is fit enough to make his squad’s starting XI, he’ll be counted on to throw his weight around the middle of the pitch early and often.
Real Madrid will start one heavyweight of their own in the form of Casemiro, but the rest of their midfield will be pretty light. Isco, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are all exceptional talents, but none of them have the physical frame to tangle with Dembele.
That could allow Spurs to gain a much-needed advantage in the midfield. If Dembele can neutralize Isco and company, it would be a huge plus for Pochettino’s squad. That’s a tough ask of Dembele, but he is capable of playing that sort of match.
Ultimately, this comes down to a question of health. If Dembele is feeling spry enough to play his best football, he may cause a real nightmare for Real’s midfield. If he isn’t at his best, it could be one way traffic in favour of the La Liga giants.