Napoli welcome Rangers to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Group A of 2022-23 UEFA Champions League.
Victory would see Napoli stay top and they will win Group A if Liverpool fail to match their result elsewhere.
Rangers meanwhile meanwhile must win to keep their hopes of Europa League qualification alive.
Team News
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa is a doubt for Napoli after recently returning to first-team training following a thigh injury.
Amir Rrahmani (thigh) is ruled out.
Rangers could welcome Glen Kamara back into contention after he recovered from an ankle injury.
Rabbi Matondo (back) and Leon King (illness) are doubts and will both face a late fitness test.
Filip Helander (foot), Connor Goldson (thigh), John Souttar (knock), Tom Lawrence (knee) and Nmandi Ofoborh (illness) are ruled out.
Ianis Hagis and Helander are both ineligible after being left out of Rangers’ Champions League squad, following lengthy injuries.
Stat Attack
- Napoli won their only previous Champions League meeting against Rangers, having won 3-0 at Ibrox in September 2022.
- Rangers are visiting Stadio Diego Armando Maradona for the very first time in all competitions.
- Napoli won their only previous home clash against Scottish opposition in all UEFA competitions, defeating Hibernian 4-1 in 1967-68 UEFA Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.
- Giacomo Raspadori is Napoli’s top goalscorer in this group but only one of his four goals has been scored at home.
- John Lundstram has recovered more balls than any other Rangers player in this group, having managed 25 ball recoveries in four matches.
Prediction
Having comfortably dominated this group and with qualification already wrapped up, it will be interesting to see how Napoli approaches this game because they’re yet to lose in all competitions but this could be a nice chance to rest some players in a game which they should easily win.
Rangers meanwhile have been totally outclassed in this group but after producing a wasteful performance in Saturday’s 1-1 domestic draw at home to Livingston, they do need to produce a reaction here to not only ease pressure on Giovanni van Bronckhorst but keep their European dreams afloat.
The first goal therefore is going to be crucial because if Napoli get in front, I can’t see them losing this but Rangers will fancy their chances of a surprise if can defend well and take a clinical goal.
Prediction: Napoli 3-0 Rangers
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