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Key events
More news: we have it. Ajax are now 4-0 up, Steven Bergwijn scoring his second of the evening after latching onto Ryan Jack’s misplaced backpass. But that goal has come at a cost: Bergwijn can’t continue, having pulled up during his celebration with what could be a hamstring injury, but hopefully is just cramp. He’s in a fair bit of pain, either way. Ten minutes to go. Rangers in full damage-limitation mode now, as they stare down the barrel of their second 4-0 reverse on the bounce.
The other game in Group A is already underway. In fact, it’s not far from finished. It is kind of already finished, though, in that Ajax are currently 3-0 up on Rangers with 15 minutes left to play. Edson Alvarez gave the hosts the lead with an uncontested header after 17 minutes. Steven Berghuis and Mohammed Kudus then added two more in two minutes, just after the half hour. Borna Barišić thought he’d pulled one back on 70 minutes, but Ryan Kent was caught ambling offside during the build-up. So it looks very likely that Rangers’ first Champions League group game for 12 years will end in defeat. More news when we have it.
Some pre-match reading …
… and a quick blast of pre-match fume.
Liverpool make three changes to the starting XI named for the Merseyside derby last Saturday. Andrew Robertson, James Milner and Roberto Firmino come in; Kostas Tsimikas and Darwin Nunez drop to the bench, while Fabio Carvalho misses out altogether through injury. Thiago Alcantara returns to the bench after a month out. Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who had picked up a knock, has been passed fit to start.
The teams
Napoli: Meret, Di Lorenzo, Kim, Rrahmani, Olivera, Lobotka, Zambo, Politano, Zielinski, Kvaratskhelia, Osimhen.
Subs: Juan Jesus, Mario Rui, Elmas, Lozano, Simeone, Zerbin, Sirigu, Ostigard, Zanoli, Gaetano, Raspadori, Ndombele.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson, Milner, Fabinho, Elliott, Salah, Firmino, Diaz.
Subs: Thiago, Adrian, Jota, Tsimikas, Nunez, Arthur, Matip, Bajcetic, Phillips, Davies.
Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande (Spain).
Preamble
Liverpool first played Napoli in October 2010. Here’s their Europa League line-up that day: Pepe Reina, Paul Konchesky, Jamie Carragher, Martin Kelly, Martin Skrtel, Ryan Babel, Jay Spearing, Christian Poulsen, Jonjo Shelvey, Milan Jovanovic, David N’Gog. Subs: Brad Jones, Fabio Aurelio, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Danny Wilson, Joe Cole, Maxi Rodriguez, Nathan Eccleston. Manager: Roy Hodgson.
Quite a lot has changed since then … except one thing. That game ended 0-0, and to this day Liverpool still haven’t scored at the San Paolo, despite visiting on another two subsequent occasions, both under the yoke of Jurgen Klopp. Lorenzo Insigne scored a last-minute winner in the groups in 2018, and at the same stage a year later, Dries Mertens and Fernando Llorente secured a late 2-0 smash and grab for the Italians. Liverpool don’t much like it in Naples … and the home heroes, unbeaten and currently second in Serie A, will provide tough opposition as they always do. Kick off at what is now known as the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona is 8pm BST. It’s on!
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