UEFA Champions League
Napoli vs Liverpool Preview
Stadio San Paolo, Naples – Napoli host Liverpool in what promises to be a captivating Champions League clash on Wednesday night.
Carlo Ancelotti’s charges were held to a goalless draw against Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade in their opening Group C game, whilst Jurgen Klopp’s men kicked off their campaign with a thrilling 3-2 win against Paris Saint-Germain.
Mohamed Salah was off form as the Reds edged a 1-1 draw against Chelsea on Saturday. A 3-1 defeat to Juventus on Saturday brought Napoli’s four-game unbeaten run to an end.
Previous Encounters:
The two sides have met twice before, in the 2010-11 Europa League group stages.
View From Both Camps:
Carlo Ancelotti (Napoli):
“The passion and the enthusiasm of this club and these fans make it all more exciting.”
“A defeat can happen, just as Juventus can lose to Napoli, we have to keep improving but I’m convinced we’ll be competitive right until the end.”
Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool):
“We are in good shape, we have good rhythm and that’s something we have to use so let’s try our best. ”
“It’s not that you can say, ‘OK, Champions League in Naples, I will make five or six changes’ and then for City you make six changes again, then who are the other six because the six that played already, they cannot play on Sunday; it’s difficult really.”
“We will think about this game and then we will see who we can use for City.”
Team News:
Napoli have no fresh injury concerns. Ancelotti is expected to draft Mario Rui back into the starting lineup for this one.
Dejan Lovren could come back into the heart of the defence, while Daniel Sturridge is pushing for a starting spot. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Adam Lallana remain out for the Reds.
Predicted Lineups:
Napoli (4-4-2): Ospina; Rui, Koulibaly, Albiol, Hysaj; Callejon, Allan, Hamsik, Zielinski; Insigne, Mertens.
Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Matip, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Henderson, Milner; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Match Prediction:
Both sides possess plenty of firepower and there is plenty of potential for an explosive encounter when these teams lock horns. Being one of the loudest stadiums in Italy, the San Poalo’s intimidating atmosphere sometimes could prove to be difficult obstacle to overcome. This will be a cagey affair, given the stakes of the match. This match is expected to be nothing short of a goals galore. With the amount of quality in Klopp’s side, it’ll be a stern test and a huge hurdle for Ancelotti to overcome.
Prediction: Napoli 1-2 Liverpool
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