Napoli vs Liverpool
Champions League
Date: Tuesday, 17 September 2019
Kick-off at 20:00 UK/ 21:00 CET
Venue: Stadio San Paolo (Naples).
Champions League
Date: Tuesday, 17 September 2019
Kick-off at 20:00 UK/ 21:00 CET
Venue: Stadio San Paolo (Naples).
News Team
Divock Origi Liverpool missed out on the squad 20 players who traveled to Italy on Monday after suffering an injury against Newcastle, with Alisson Becker (leg) Naby Keita (groin) and Nathaniel Clyne (knee) is also missing with long-term conditions. Center left back Andy Robertson will be assessed before kick-off.
Arkadiusz Milik is likely to lose to Torino, who has been sidelined since suffering a muscle injury in mid-August, but Lorenzo Insigne, who scored against the Reds when the two sides met in the pre-season, may be fit after a training course for part of last week.
Lorenzo Insigne scored twice against Liverpool when the two sides met in pre-season
Preview
Although last season's fixture at the Stadio San Paolo between the two sides was a cagey affair, with a combined team mustered just five shots on target, there is little to suggest a repeat is on the cards.
Napoli have played three Serie A matches this season, but that did not stop the flow destination, with 16 attacks became a registered thanks to a 4-3 win at Fiorentina as well as a loss by the same score in Juventus.
Also, the defense usually impermeable Liverpool have managed just one clean sheet this season, with the Reds failed to prevent the likes of Newcastle and Southampton.
Key stats
This will be the fifth meeting between Napoli and Liverpool in European competition. The two sides clashed twice in the 2010-11 UEFA Europa League Group Stage and again in two matches in the group stage of last season's UEFA Champions League.
Napoli have won only four of 12 UEFA Champions League matches (D3 L5), although each of those victories came at the San Paolo.
Liverpool have won five of their last seven European fixtures (D1 L1) but have lost six of their last ten matches of their UEFA competition outside the UK.
Liverpool have lost their last two games in Italy but has been beaten just three of their last nine away games against Italian clubs, winning three.
Since the beginning of 2017-18, Roberto Firmino has been directly involved in 22 goals in 25 Champions League appearances (14 goals, eight assists), more than any other Liverpool player in this period.
Prediction
Napoli 1-2 Liverpool
Both clubs are primed to advance to the Champions League Round of 16 from Group E kick things off. And, with the game to bring Napoli and Liverpool the chance to put down a marker for the Group Stage campaign, one can expect fireworks from the contest on Tuesday.
Both sides had their fair share of problems at the back, meaning there are possible drawbacks goalmouth action, unlike last season. But, if we assume the form of two-unit attack, it was Liverpool who seemed to hold the edge.
In the end, there should be very little separating the two sides. But, with Roberto Firmino is in touch destroy, we expect Liverpool to edge this contest, just. Hard Tackle predict a 2-1 victory for Jurgen Klopp & co. to continue their journey was fine in Europe.
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