Napoli vs Red Bull Prediction: Group topper to qualify with a win

Napoli vs Red Bull Prediction: Dries Mertens to play a key role.
Napoli vs Red Bull Prediction: Dries Mertens to play a key role.

Champions League, Group E Prediction: Napoli vs Red Bull Salzburg

Stadium: San Paolo Stadium

Betting Odds: Napoli 1.85; Draw 4.10 ; Red Bull 3.00

Probability of Win: Napoli 51%; Draw 23% ; Red Bull 26%

Napoli is placed at the top of the table in Group E, but the group is still open and any of top three can still qualify for the knockout round. The reverse fixture ended in a 2-3 win for Carlo Ancelotti’s men.

Jesse Marsch’s men are yet to keep a clean sheet against this opponent. At this venue, the sole match ended in a 3-0 triumph for the hosts. Parthenopeans conceded twice or more in their prior two battles.

Napoli

Injury Concern: Ghoulam (muscle), Allan (adductor), Malcuit (knee)

Predicted XI: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Manolas, Koulibaly, Mário Rui; Callejón, Elmas, Fabián Ruiz, Zieliński; Lozano, Milik

Napoli have beaten Liverpool 2-0 here, before drawing 0-0 at Genk, Gli Azzurri are well placed to advance from this pool. “We had to play with intelligence, and it’s a great result,” Ancelotti told Sky Italia. “It was a great game; we suffered, but in the end, we got what we wanted. “We did very well in managing the various moments of the game. It’s a fantastic evening for us, but we still have to beat Salzburg again to qualify.”

In their last meet, Dries Mertens scored twice to put the Italian team in front, only for Salzburg star Erling Haaland to pull his side back level each time. However, there was no answer from Red Bull after Lorenzo Insigne came off the bench to give Napoli the lead for the decisive third time.

Red Bull Salzburg

Injury Concern: Walke (foot), Stanković (thigh), Bernede (shin), Prevljak (neck), Farkas (unspecified)

Predicted XI: Coronel; Kristensen, Wöber, Onguéné, Ulmer; Junuzović, Mwepu; Minamino, Daka, Haaland, Hwang

Jesse Marsch’s Salzburg have been a breath of fresh air in this year’s Champions League, with their opening three matches featuring a competition record 20 goals.

The intensity game that Marsch’s side play, ensures that they will always create chances, score goals, and pose problems, but it also results in counter-attacks by opponents and subsequent loss their defensive formation.