Real Marid will host Napoli in a battle for the top spot in the group in the Champions League. With only the top spot left to contend with, Carlo Ancelotti will take against his previous club knowing that his Real team will be in the knockout stages come January 1.
Preview (Real Madrid vs. Napoli)
Real Madrid is the overwhelming favorite to advance as the section winners after winning four of their previous four games in the group. They simply need a point to guarantee their seeding for the December round of sixteen drawings. That seems very plausible given that Los Blancos have won eight of their last nine Champions League home games. The exception was a draw against Manchester City in the previous season’s semifinal. They have not lost at home since early April. Real has also had a strong recent record against Italian teams. They have defeated Serie A teams nine times in a row, including a 3-2 victory on matchday two.
Real Madrid only needs a clean sheet, and even if players like Thibaut Courtois and Eduardo Militao have suffered major injuries, their defense has performed admirably at home this season. In their most recent league match, Real Madrid was leading 5-0 when Hugo Duro’s goal for Valencia late. It was the first they had let up in nearly ten and a half hours. Real Madrid is the clear favorite to win this section after winning four of their previous four games. A victory here would guarantee a seeding in the round of sixteen in December. The Los Blancos haven’t suffered a home loss since early April.
Real’s recent performance versus Serie A teams has also been impressive. They have triumphed in all nine of their meetings. It included a 3-2 victory on matchday two at the Maradona. Real Madrid’s defense has been excellent at home this season. All they need is a clean sheet. The first goal Real have conceded here in about ten and a half hours came from Hugo Duro’s goal for Valencia late in their most recent league match, when they were leading 5-0.
Team News
Given that Real Madrid merely needs a point from this match, Ancelotti may choose to safeguard some of his players who have been struggling with fitness in order to rotate them. The player most likely to be given the night off is Luka Modric. He appeared to have a minor muscle ailment during the weekend. Due to injuries to other important players, Jude Bellingham and Rodrígo may both start for the team again. They both overcame injury concerns to lead the team in the victory at Cadiz on Sunday. They include midfield duo Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga, who are both unlikely to play before the new year and Vinicius Junior, who has been declared out for the remainder of 2023.
Given that Courtois is still out for several months and Kepa Arrizabalaga is still questionable, Lunin, who impressed on matchday four, might start at goal again. Mathias Olivera was stretchered off during Napoli’s victory over Atalanta in the first half, joining Mario Rui on the sidelines. This leaves Napoli with a dilemma as a left defender. Given his versatility, Juan Jesus is the most likely player to start, with Amir Rrahmani and Natan slated to start in the center. After missing seven weeks, Victor Osimhen finally made his long-awaited return in the weekend victory. He replaced Giacomo Raspadori in the starting lineup by coming off the bench just after the hour mark and helping to set up the game-winning goal.
Real Madrid 2 – 1 Napoli
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