UEFA Champions League: Napoli vs AC Milan live stream and preview
Preview
Following a fight last week, first-time quarter-finalists Napoli and seven-time winners AC Milan meet again on Tuesday at 7:00pm at the Stadio Armando Maradona for a place in the Champions League semi-finals. When the two Italian powers played in the league earlier this month at Stadio Maradona, Milan won 4-0, and they now carry a one-goal lead down to Naples.
Napoli may be on course to dethrone Serie A’s reigning champions, leading Italy’s top flight by 14 points with only eight games remaining, but they have failed to beat Milan in recent weeks and have a deficit to overcome in order to reach the Champions League’s final four. After a four-goal league loss to Milan in early April, the mythic Stadio Maradona no longer appears to be such an impenetrable fortress, as Napoli not only lost to Lazio there recently, but also failed to break down a tenacious Hellas Verona side fighting relegation.
Verona held Luciano Spalletti’s side to a goalless draw at home, with possibly the only bright spot coming when talismanic striker Victor Osimhen returned from injury as a second-half substitute, much to the pleasure of the expecting home fans. Napoli have now scored just twice in their last four games, a dramatic contrast to their prior production, with Napoli are the Champions League’s top scorers. In fact, they are unbeaten in their last 12 home matches in Europe’s top club competition, having won all four games at the Maradona this season and scored at least three times on each occasion.
Milan have won the first leg of 38 of 44 UEFA ties, so history is surely on their side as they pursue a potential last-four date next month. On Saturday, though, a much-changed starting eleven extended Milan’s poor run of results in Serie A, with the win over Napoli being the club’s sole domestic triumph since February.
Pioli’s side has been defeated by both Udinese and Fiorentina, but also held by Salernitana, Empoli, and presently in-form Bologna. Despite their struggles in defending their Serie A title, Milan has regularly flourish in European competitions, thus; their sometimes fragile defence which hasn’t conceded a single goal in their last five Champions League matches, combined with their lead heading into this game, will definitely give Milan an edge.
Head-to-head
Both teams have three wins each in the previous six meetings, although it is worth mentioning that AC Milan has won three of the last four meetings with the home team. Napoli has a winning record at home against Milan, with 9 victories, 7 draws, and 7 loses in the last 23 meetings.
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Prediction
While Napoli plays more exciting football, Milan’s pragmatism has served them well this season and might now propel them to the semi-finals. It will not be easy with Osimhen back in the fold and thousands of success-deprived Neapolitans cheering for their hosts, but the Rossoneri have been aiming for a return to Europe’s top table for some years and can rise to the occasion.
