Carlo Ancelotti's career with Real Madrid could be determined on Wednesday when the team tries to salvage its Champions League hopes.

The team is currently four points behind Barcelona in the Spanish league with only two games left to play. The likelihood of Los Blancos regaining the ground is minimal as it would require Blaugrana to lose both games, something that is probably not going to happen.

So it falls to Ancelotti to get the team into the Champions League final and reclaim the title that it won last year.

But the task is tough to say the least.

Juventus has a 2-1 aggregate lead and has proven to be an offensive dynamo that essentially needs just one goal to put this contest out of reach.

Of course, for Real Madrid the methodology is straightforward. Win by 1-0 and you go throughout the final and a chance to salvage at least one major trophy from a tumultuous season.

Lose and Ancelotti will likely be fired at the end of the season and Madrid, which entered the season with so much promise, will be left in shambles.

Will Toni Kroos be ready?

Toni Kroos will be back in action, but how effective he will be is of great concern. He was injured last week and there is some lingering doubt over his match fitness heading into the game. Everyone knows that Madrid's game is predicated on solid possession and Kroos is the linchpin in that game plan.

If he is out, then the team could struggle to retain the ball against another team that relies on possession soccer to dominate opposition.

Where does Sergio Ramos Play?

Of course, the biggest question of all for the squad will be whether or not Sergio Ramos returns to his natural position as a center back or if Ancelotti continues the experiment of putting him in the midfield. The experiment worked in the first try of the year against Atletico Madrid, but has backfired in each of the ensuing contests with the Juventus match being a particular low point for Real Madrid's vice-captain.

Will the real Iker Casillas please show up?

And then there is the repeated issue with Iker Casillas, who has been on the downward spiral in an up and down year. He was blamed for a poor showing in the weekend outing against Valencia and was far from optimal in the 2-1 defeat against Juventus.

He will need to turn things around if this team is to make a battle of it.

How effective will Karim Benzema be?

Chicharito has certainly played himself into the lineup, but he has not been a consistent threat and, in some instances, he and Cristiano Ronaldo have struggled to find adequate chemistry. This is something that an effective and ready Benzema could heal quickly. Benzema might be the striker on the club, but he is a terrific playmaker that knows how to find Ronaldo and Gareth Bale with facility. If he is at his best (which might be doubtful given his layoff), then this could help Bale and Ronaldo find their way in the most crucial game of the season.

Prediction: Real Madrid manages a 2-0 win.