This week's most notable Champions League clash figures to be Wednesday night's showdown between Borussia Dortmund and Napoli Both clubs are currently on top of their respective domestic leagues with 100 percent records.
The match also puts the spotlight on Dortmund's Mats Hummels, who was dropped by Jogi Loew last week as Germany predictably cruised past Austria and Faroe Islands in World Cup qualifying. Jerome Boateng took his place in central defence.
While the German public hailed the clean sheets that haven't been happening under Loew's watch, the folks at Dortmund understandably haven't been happy to see their best defender treated as a whipping boy. Hummels was called 'Loser of the Week' by one publication and Dortmund are not happy about it.
Jurgen Klopp lashed out at Hummels' critics, cheekily saying that “The central defence worked really well against the Faroe Islands. I am delighted.”
Still, Klopp's words aside, it's fair to question Hummels not just this year but in years past as well. Just this past weekend, Hummels lost track of Heiko Westermann for a Hamburg equaliser in a match Dortmund eventually won 6-2. Hummels didn't exactly look confident on that play, and seasoned followers remember critical errors two seasons ago in the Champions League and even in last year's campaign for the finalists.
Which brings us to Wednesday night, when Hummels will step into a cauldron at the Stadio San Paolo against a Napoli side that has one of the best triumvirates in world football with Marek Hamsik, Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Maria Callejon combining for nine goals in three matches for the best attack in Italian football. Napoli aren't exactly hurting for confidence.
Now the BVB defence could be without captain and defensive midfielder Sebastian Kehl, meaning the spotlight will shine even more on Hummels. Whether he steps up to the challenge could determine how much faith Loew has in him down the road.
