When Liverpool begins group play of the Champions League vs Napoli Wednesday, they will be looking to advance to the Round of 16 for the third straight cycle. Players and supporters alike are excited to see how the club performs against other European Clubs outside the EPL. The first test comes away at Napoli from the Italian top division, Serie A.
“It's amazing. We love the Champions League, everybody does,” Reds' starting goalie Allison Becker said. “We are really excited about that and starting in the best way possible, playing against a big team that we have played in the last seasons already. Everybody is really excited for that.”
Napoli will certainly be a tough test to begin group play, as they have 11 points through their first 5 Serie A matches, sitting second in the league table.
“They are doing well and they have a great manager,” Becker said. “They have a lot of young players full of energy and really talented players. We know that it's going to be a really tough game for us. We have to put everything that we have, give 100 per cent to get the three points, which is our main goal.”
Talking Points vs Napoli
Liverpool and Napoli have a history of meeting one another in these big games. The Reds advanced past Napoli in 2018 on their way to lifting the trophy, but the Italian side got revenge the next season, beating Liverpool 2-0 in group play. Liverpool has the upper hand in experience as they own 6 Champions League titles and Napoli has none, but that will make the team and their supporters even more hungry to get this cycle off to a good start, especially on their home pitch.
Liverpool will most likely unveil their newest player, Arthur Melo, who is on loan from Juventus. Thiago Alcantara also saw some time on the training ground prior to the team flying to Italy, It will be interesting to see if Alcantara is fit to play after his injury and if so, whether he will be paired with Melo in the midfield.
Don't Sleep On Napoli
Napoli is a good side with a world-class goal scorer Khvicha Kvaratskhelia patrolling the midfield. The Georgian already has 4 goals in 5 matches, which is tops for the club. Their 4-2-3-1 system only plays one striker up top, but it gives more freedom to their midfielders to play a more offensive-minded brand of football. The Liverpool back line, which has struggled at times this season, will certainly be tested.
LFC Globe Verdict
Liverpool is not off to the best of starts in the EPL campaign, but the Champions League provides a chance to right the ship. All might not be smooth sailing for the Reds, however, as they open group play against a tough Napoli side on Italian soil. These two clubs also have a history with one another, which adds to the intrigue of the match. Even so, Liverpool is still one of the best clubs in European football for a reason and I expect them to prove it vs. Napoli with a hard-fought 2-1 win.
Where To Watch
The match will be broadcast to audiences in England on BT Sport while American supporters can watch via the Paramount + streaming service. A Spanish broadcast will air on TUDN. Kickoff is set for 20:00 BST and 15:00 EST in the United States.
