Napoli-Braga is a match from the sixth day of the Champions League group stage and is played Tuesday at 9 p.m.: TV, probable formations, predictions.
Walter Mazzarri said in his press conference that he wants to see a team that remains as compact as possible but without distorting itself. And reiterating, in any case, that the most important thing is for his Napoli to get through the round and enter the round of 16 as runners-up behind Real Madrid.
He has clear ideas, the coach from St. Vincent, on the eve of the Champions League challenge with Braga. The Azzurri would advance to the knockout stage even if they lose 1-0 or with only one goal difference, thanks to the success (1-2) achieved in the first leg in Portugal last September. That’s three points ahead of the Lusitanians with 90 minutes left in the group stage. To send Napoli into the Europa League, Artur Jorge’s men would have to not only conquer the “Maradona” stadium but do so with a bombastic victory. Something that at the moment does not seem to be in their grasp. Di Lorenzo and his teammates actually could have closed the games already two weeks ago, if in the Madrid match Meret in the final minutes had not committed the mistake that definitely broke the legs of the Italian champions. At the “Bernabeu” Napoli held on for 84 minutes before capitulating following the extreme defender’s indecision on Nico Paz’s shot.
Three results available for Napoli
The 4-2 against Carlo Ancelotti’s men is a liar, a bit like the 2-3 in the first leg. But now the important thing is not to complicate life further and get rid of the Braga practice.
(Ricardo Horta IlVeggente.it (Ansa)
Napoli needs to get back to winning ways after a difficult two weeks. After the win against Atalanta in Bergamo (1-2), which had ushered in Mazzarri 2.0, the Azzurri lost two bloody direct clashes against Inter (0-3) and Juventus (1-0), leaving the Scudetto fight for good. At least for now. As Mazzarri himself also explained to journalists’ microphones, at the moment Napoli’s main problem is a defense that does not offer the appropriate guarantees. And that since the derby with Salernitana last November 4 has always conceded at least one goal. It is forbidden to underestimate a Braga that has not lost since the Madrid defeat, collecting five positive results. Thanks to their 3-1 success over Vizela last Friday, the red and whites have recovered another three points on top-ranked Sporting and are now -2 from the summit. Mazzarri is expected to confirm Natan in the center and Juan Jesus on the left, while Niakaté, disqualified, will not be available in Braga.
The prediction
Napoli will play to win against Braga. A shakeup is needed after defeats to Inter and Juventus that brought negativity back into the environment. The Azzurri should succeed without major problems, while pleasing the coach, who wants to see a more alert and solid team in the non-possession phase. The total goals could be less than four on the night at the “Maradona,” with Napoli likely to end both the first and second half with a lead.
The probable formations of Napoli-Braga
NAPOLI (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Natan, Juan Jesus; Zambo Anguissa, Lobotka, Zieliński; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia.
BRAGA (4-3-3): Matheus; Borja, Saatçı, José Fonte, Victor Gómez; Vítor Carvalho, João Moutinho, Zalazar; Bruma, Ricardo Horta, Banza.
