Liverpool and Chelsea among top talking points ahead of Champions League return

As the Champions League springs back into action this week, we take a look ahead to Tuesday’s top matches and a key talking point from each as the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Barcelona kick off their European campaigns.

Napoli vs Liverpool - Koulibaly vs Van Dijk

While there will be a plethora of attacking talent on show in Naples, with both Napoli and Liverpool averaging three goals per game in their respective league campaigns to date, the battle between two of the top centre-backs at the tournament will be pivotal. These two sides met in last season’s group stages let’s not forget, and it was the defences that came out on top in the two meetings between the sides - each ending 1-0 to the home team.

Their two mountainous centre-halves certainly played their part, with Kalidou Koulibaly and Virgil van Dijk coming head-to-head once again. Both players are renowned for their physicality but it’s their intelligence in possession that could be key to their side’s prospects on Tuesday, with Napoli controlling the game at the San Paolo this time last year.

Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona - Could Alcacer haunt Barcelona?

While all eyes will be on Lionel Messi’s expected return to the Barcelona lineup having not featured at all so far this season due to injury, there is a striker for the hosts that would love to steal the limelight. Indeed, Paco Alcocer was forced to play sparingly in the shadows of the likes of Messi and Luis Suarez during an unproductive two-year spell at the Camp Nou, the Spaniard has flourished at Borussia Dortmund and is now very much the main man up front for the Bundesliga club.

Last season the 26-year-old was rotated in and out of the side despite a remarkable scoring record, netting 18 Bundesliga goals from just 1205 minutes of action, averaging one every 67 minutes. This season Alcacer has started all four of BVB’s league matches and taken his tally for the campaign to five already. He’ll be desperate to prove a point to his former employers as a result in a match up that should guarantee goals.

Chelsea vs Valencia - Are Chelsea’s youngsters Champions League ready?

Any concerns as to whether Chelsea’s academy graduates could really step up to the plate following the clubs transfer embargo are being well and truly squashed. The likes of Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount in particular are proving to not only be capable but key players under Frank Lampard this season, and along with fellow youngster Fikayo Tomori are the only players to have scored for the Blues in the Premier League this season, netting an impressive 11 between them.

The Champions League is the next test of the club’s prodigious young talent, up first against a Valencia side under an even newer head coach in Albert Celades. The former Spain and Real Madrid assistant didn’t get off to the ideal start having replaced Marcelino last week, shipping five goals at Barcelona. Chelsea’s hungry young goal getters will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing a defence torn to shreds at the weekend, losing by the same scoreline - 5-2 - that the Blues won on Saturday, with the in-form Abraham understandably favourite to find the net with one of the best online gambling sites in the UK.