Four months after they eventually got their hands on 'La Decima' in Lisbon, Real Madrid begin the defence of their Champions League title against Basel at the Bernabeu on Tuesday evening.

The encounter will mark the start of a campaign for a Madrid side who are looking to become the first club to defend the trophy since the competition took on its current guise in 1992.

Recent history would suggest that visiting Basel are up against it in the Spanish capital, with Real having won all six of their home Champions League encounters last term. Moreover, Los Blancos have a 100% winning record against Swiss clubs, scoring 42 goals and conceding just two in 10 meetings.

Real head coach Carlo Ancelotti has a near fully-fit squad to select from, although midfielder Sami Khedira and right-back Daniel Carvajal are expected to miss out with injuries.

Ancelotti also recently insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo is 100% following a recent knee complaint, but the talisman may be rested for the visit of Basel to lessen the risk of the problem being aggravated further.

Meanwhile, the Swiss Super League leaders Basel, who are coached by former Juventus and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Paulo Sousa, should include Walter Samuel within their starting lineup.

The veteran Argentine defender spent one season with Real, for whom he scored two goals in 40 appearances in all competitions during a trophyless 2004-05 campaign.

Sousa will have to make do without the services of Marcelo Diaz, though, because the Chilean international is suspended as a result of the red card that he received in last term's Europa League.

These two sides were previously drawn together in the 1971 UEFA Cup, with Madrid coming out on top 4-2 on aggregate to advance through to the second round of the tournament.

Recent form

Real Madrid: DLWLL

Basel: WLWWWL

Possible starting lineups

Real Madrid: Navas; Ramos, Varane, Pepe, Marcelo; Modric, Kroos; Isco, Rodriguez, Bale; Benzema

Basel: Vaclik; Safari, Samuel, Schar, Suchy; Xhaka, Frei, Calla, El Nenny, Kakitani; Streller

Sports Mole says: 2-0

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