Real Madrid-Napoli is a match valid for the fifth day of the group stage of the Champions League and is played Wednesday at 9 p.m.: TV, lineups, predictions.
Walter Mazzarri, back on the Napoli bench after 10 years, passed the first of a series of really tough exams with flying colors. Victory against an ambitious opponent Atalanta (1-2) allowed the Azzurri to return to winning ways in the league, nibble two points off the leading Inter team, and get right back on track after the home slip with Empoli cost Rudi Garcia’s bench, who was exonerated during the national team break.
However, the St. Vincent coach has little time to enjoy the success in Bergamo. Awaiting him, just a few days later, is the illustrious stage of the “Bernabeu,” with his Napoli called upon to secure qualification to the Champions League round of 16, blurred by that counter-attack conceded to Union Berlin on the last day of the group stage. Beating the Germans would have been enough to be certain of playing in the knockout stage, but Fofana’s goal early in the second half (1-1) did not allow the partenopei to celebrate their landing in the round of 16 with two rounds to spare.
To avoid prolonging the wait further, Di Lorenzo and his teammates will have to try to avoid a defeat to former Ancelotti’s Real Madrid, hoping for good news from Braga. Only the Lusitanians, in fact, could still snatch second place from Napoli, which in any case can count on a reassuring four-point lead over the Artur Jorge-coached team and the possibility of being able to play on two out of three results in the match scheduled for two weeks from now.
Azzurri “tuned in” to Braga
The challenge with the Blancos is, in any case, another excellent test for a Napoli that under new technical guidance will aim to regain the automatisms of last year.
(Brahim Diaz , IlVeggente.it (Ansa)
Two months ago against Real Madrid, the Azzurri offered perhaps one of the best performances of the very brief Garcia era but in the end they were forced to surrender to the fury of Englishman Bellingham, author of a goal and an assist to “Maradona” (2-3). Ancelotti only needs a draw to secure first place in the round but the Merengues are unlikely to be satisfied with a point, aiming to remain on full points. Real comes from two consecutive league victories against Valencia and Cadiz that allowed them to take back the top of the standings and take advantage of Girona’s misstep. The biggest unknowns stem from the numerous absences the Emilia coach has to deal with. In addition to Kepa, Militao, Camavinga, Courtois and Tchouaméni, Vinicius will also be missing. Napoli, on the other hand, with the doubt Osimhen: if he does not make it in his place, Simeone is ready.
The prediction
Mazzarri’s “first” Napoli gave some important signs but to think that the Azzurri are able to conquer a temple like the “Bernabeu” against Ancelotti’s perfect machine is unrealistic. However, we believe that the Azzurri will manage to limit the damage as much as possible as they did in the first leg, even finding the way of goal.
The probable lineups of Real Madrid-Napoli
REAL MADRID (4-3-1-2): Lunin; Lucas Vázquez, Nacho, Alaba, Fran García; Valverde, Kroos, Ceballos; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Brahim Díaz.
NAPOLI (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Natan, Juan Jesus; Zambo Anguissa, Lobotka, Zieliński; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia.
