Beukema makes his first Champions League start of the season at Porto

Beukema starts for Napoli against Porto at the Dragão on Wednesday 4 November, kick-off 21:00 CET (20:00 UK, 15:00 ET). It is his first Champions League start this season. He completes a back three with Rrahmani and Rafa Marín.

There is a reason he has played so little. A tendon problem kept him out for several weeks in pre-season. The numbers still look bad. He joined from Bologna in the summer of 2025 for around €30m. He is starting in Europe only because Allegri has ten players unavailable and Marianucci is not on the UEFA squad list. That leaves Beukema, Rrahmani and Rafa Marín as the only centre-backs. This will be his eighth Champions League match for Napoli, after six last season.

After the 3-3 draw with Roma he posted on social media that he was disappointed and wanted to learn from his mistakes. The trouble is that the coach did not pick him on merit. He is playing because of the injury crisis. A defender who cost that much should not need a full treatment room to get a game.

Porto have yet to win a point in the Champions League, and Wednesday is his chance to prove his critics wrong. On Sunday, leaders Lazio come to the Maradona.