Liverpool-Napoli is a match valid for the sixth day of the group stage of the Champions League and it is played on Tuesday at 21:00: statistics, bets, predictions, live TV and streaming
The number of goals scored is enough to get an idea of Napoli’s unchallenged dominance in this Champions League group stage. Luciano Spalletti’s Azzurri have scored as many as 20 in just five matches – a staggering average of four per game – touching the double record of Bayern Munich, who scored 24 after six matches in the 2019-20 and 2021-22 seasons. Partenopei who arrive at the last round with full points – five wins out of five – but are not yet certain to go through as first. They have to defend their supremacy at Anfield Road, Liverpool’s secular ‘temple’, where they can even afford the luxury of going out in defeat, as long as the goal difference is no more than three. At the moment the Reds are three points down, 12, and are still condemned to win in order to try and overtake Napoli, who inflicted one of their worst European defeats on Jurgen Klopp’s side in the first leg, overwhelming them 4-1.
To concede four or more goals to the team that is currently perhaps the most in-form in Europe – Klopp’s own words in a press conference – is a pretty tough task for a Liverpool side that is far from ‘cured’. Because if in the Champions League Salah and his teammates have managed to put things right, in the Premier League it’s getting worse and worse.
Turnover in sight for Spalletti and Klopp
Sunday saw yet another absurd defeat, the second in a row at home against a relegation contender Leeds, who went down 2-1 at Anfield. The Reds are ninth, at a sidereal distance not only from first but also fourth place. Spalletti’s men are still undefeated on both fronts, with their latest show of strength against Sassuolo (4-0 and their third clean sheet in a row) allowing them to pull away from their rivals, especially after the unexpected defeat by AC Milan.
There are now thirteen consecutive victories for the Campania team, a real war machine. As far as the line-ups are concerned, the two coaches could make a slight turnover in view of the important league challenges with Tottenham and Atalanta. Liverpool are likely to see Milner, Konaté and Henderson again, while the Tuscan coach should give space to Ostigard, Olivera, Ndombele and Simeone.
Spalletti and Klopp
The Prediction
Who will have more motivation in this match will be Liverpool, but the Reds will try more than anything else to turn the page after yet another negative result in the league. The first place objective, realistically speaking, seems to have vanished. In any case, we expect a spectacular match, in which both sides should score. The Azzurri might even settle for a point this time.
Liverpool-Napoli’s likely line-up
- LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Alisson; Milner, Konaté, van Dijk, Robertson; Elliott, Thiago Alcantara, Henderson; Salah, Darwin Nunez, Firmino.
- NAPOLI (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Ostigard, Kim, Olivera; Ndombelé, Lobotka, Zielinski; Politano, Simeone, Kvaratskhelia.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-2
