To go to the quarterfinals of the Champions League on Wednesday, Serie A leaders Napoli—still in control in Italy—will welcome Eintracht Frankfurt at the Stadio Maradona.
Team Form
Napoli
Napoli’s recent victory over Eintracht Frankfurt marked their first-ever win against the German side after two previous defeats, putting them in a promising position to reach the Champions League’s last eight for the first time. The team’s impressive tally of 22 goals in the competition this season is a testament to their skill and determination.
The next step for Napoli is to play on home soil, where they have an impressive record of being unbeaten in their last 11 Champions League home games. This season, they have won all three home games and scored at least three goals in each match. This home advantage will undoubtedly boost them as they aim to progress further in the competition.
Meanwhile, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s recent goal against Atlanta helped his team to maintain their 18-point lead at the top of the Serie A standings. It is only a matter of time before they clinch their first championship title in over thirty years.
Napoli Form (All Competitions): W W W L W
Eintracht Frankfurt
When Frankfurt’s key player was sent off with a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Napoli’s Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, it appeared that Frankfurt’s defeat was inevitable, as they were already struggling against such formidable opponents in the previous match.
Making a comeback seemed daunting for Die Adler, and their recent form does not inspire much confidence. They have managed one loss and two draws in the Bundesliga, which has caused them to slip down to sixth place in the standings.
With a five-point gap between them and the crucial top four, Frankfurt’s chances of causing an upset are slim. In their most recent match against Stuttgart, ranked lower in the league, they were held to a 1-1 draw at home, with Sebastian Rode scoring their only goal with their only shot on target.
Eintracht Frankfurt Form (All Competitions): W L L D D
Squad Report
Napoli
Napoli left-back Mario Rui is set to return to the team for their upcoming match after serving a two-match domestic suspension for being sent off against his former club Empoli.
In addition, Napoli is hoping to have their first-choice goalkeeper, Alex Meret, return to the squad after he withdrew from last week’s match against Atalanta.
The team is also optimistic about defender Kim Min-Jae recovering from a knock. Although Hirving Lozano is nursing a muscular injury, he may still be able to make the bench for the upcoming match.
Unfortunately, Giacomo Raspadori will remain sidelined due to a thigh problem.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Frankfurt will face a significant challenge in their upcoming match against Napoli, as they will need several key players.
Striker Randal Kolo Muani will be suspended, while Eric Junior, Dina Ebimbe and Jesper Lindstrom will be unavailable due to injuries.
Napoli’s predicted starting lineup:
Meret; Di Lorenzo, Kim, Rrahmani, Rui; Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia
Eintracht Frankfurt’s predicted starting lineup:
Trapp; Tuta, Hasebe, Ndicka; Buta, Sow, Rode, Max; Kamada, Gotze; Borre
Head to Head
The head-to-head record between Napoli and Eintracht Frankfurt is relatively short, with only one previous meeting between the two teams. Napoli emerged as the victors in that encounter, winning the first leg of this tie against Frankfurt.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Wednesday, March 15
Time: 08:00 pm, UTC
Venue: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona stadium, Naples city
Prediction
Eintracht Frankfurt has proven to be a formidable force in European competition under the leadership of Oliver Glasner. They have demonstrated that they are fearless in taking the initiative away from home and have achieved impressive results.
However, in their upcoming match against Napoli, they will face one of the toughest challenges of the season. Napoli has a remarkable record at their home ground, the Stadio Maradona, and they have shown that they can be a dominant force even without hitting top gear.
