Milan carry a 1-0 first-leg lead against Napoli as they take on each other again at the Stadio Maradona in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
NAP vs MIL Match Details
Date: Tuesday, 18 April 2023 / Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Time: 20:00 (BST) / 00:30 (IST)
Venue: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples
NAP vs MIL Match Preview
Napoli’s slump in the last few games in otherwise a near-perfect season continued with a 0-0 draw against Hellas Verona at home in the Serie A this weekend. For a second straight game, the side from Naples had failed to score at the Maradona having scored in each of the prior games at the venue this season. Victor Osimhen could have changed the trend by making his injury return but he struck the crossbar from the edge of the box while his side could have easily lost the game in stoppage time only for Cyril Ngonge to miss the target for the guests, clean through on goal. The points dropped were not catastrophic as the Partenopei still carries a huge 14 points lead at the top with eight matches to play. However, only one win from the last four games is a worrying sign that they want to remove in the second leg of the quarterfinals to stay in the Champions League hunting as well. All they wish now is a 4-0 battering in the same fixture against AC Milan in the league does not repeat itself in Europe this time. Despite their poor form of late, Napoli are unbeaten in their last 12 home matches in the top continental competition winning each of their four games this season. A strong record to give confidence to the side desperate to overturn a 1-0 deficit to move into the semifinals.
Like their counterpart on the evening, Milan played out a 1-1 draw against Bologna albeit with a much-changed side going behind within seconds after kick-off through Nicole Sansone’s goal. The equalizer from midfielder Tommaso Pobega for the Rossoneri did not arrive until the 40th minute. Stefano Pioli’s men failed to administer more from the weekend game but their focus solely remained on the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals at Naples resting a bunch of players as a case. Having destroyed Napoli at their home, Milan repeated the trick in Europe with an Ismael Bennacer strike at San Siro giving them an early advantage in the tie. The hosts lacked Victor Osimhen, scorer of 25 goals in all club competitions this season with four in the Champions League, in the first leg and now are without Zambo Anguissa and Kim Min-Jae for the second. Milan will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing a much more weakened opposition. The reigning champions in Serie A could not defend their crown as they sit 22 points from the top spot so it is a great opportunity for them to eliminate the league leaders from Europe healing some wounds. The possibility of facing city rivals Inter in a huge Milan derby in the semifinals of the competition is also there should both clubs qualify, therefore, this chance could not be missed.
Recent Form (all competitions)
NAP: DLWLW
MIL: DWDWL
Recent Form (Champions League)
NAP: LWWLW
MIL: WDWWW
NAP vs MIL Team News
Napoli will be missing their two key players in Zambo Anguissa and Kim Min-Jae for this crucial clash due to suspension. The South Korean accumulated too many yellow cards while the midfielder received his second booking for a pair of rash challenges on Milan’s Theo Hernandez in the first leg at San Siro. However, star striker Victor Osimhen is back from a muscle injury which kept him out of action this month till now.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is ineligible for Milan’s Champions League squad and also carries a muscle injury so, either way, cannot participate in this midweek game. Coach Stefano Pioli made 10 changes to the side that began the first leg in the weekend league draw against Bologna with only Mike Maignan retained to guard the post. All will return for the second leg afresh.
NAP vs MIL Predicted Lineups
NAP: Alex Meret; Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Juan Jesus, Mario Rui; Eljif Elmas, Stanislav Lobotka, Piotr Zielinski; Hirving Lozano, Victor Osimhen, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia
MIL: Mike Maignan; Davide Calabria, Simon Kjaer, Fikayo Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Rada Krunic, Sandro Tonali; Brahim Diaz, Ismael Bennacer, Rafael Leao; Olivier Giroud
NAP vs MIL Head to Head
NAP won - 51
Draw - 52
MIL won - 69
(In overall meetings)
NAP vs MIL Dream11 Team prediction
GK: Maignan (7.5)
DEF: Di Lorenzo (9), Tomori (8.5), T Hernandez (9)
MID: Zielinski (9), Tonali (9), Bennacer (8.5), B Diaz (8.5)
FW: Leao (9), Osimhen (9), Kvaratskhelia (9)
Vice-captain: Rafael Leao
Captain: Victor Osimhen
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