For the second year running, these two teams will face-off in the Champions League group stages. In the 2018/19 campaign, they met in Group C; this was that year’s so-called ‘group of death’. In the end, Liverpool just about pipped Napoli to the post, they qualified for the round-of-16 by virtue of their superior ‘goals scored’ stat, with Paris Saint Germain finishing above them both.
Of course, the team from Merseyside would go on to win the competition following a sensational route to the final which included victory over Bayern Munich and that stunning comeback against Barcelona in the semi-final. In the league, Jurgen Klopp’s team were desperately unlucky; they finished in 2nd place despite achieving a points total of 97, the third-highest in Premier League history, and losing just once. Following their mind-blowing campaign, Liverpool are now considered a tour-de-force throughout Europe. They are the only team in England with a 100% record and, following Manchester City’s 3-2 defeat at Carrow Road, are five points clear of their Mancunian rivals with just five games gone.
It goes without saying, given their six triumphs in the competition, that Liverpool
W
As for Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli, they are a similarly exciting ‘cup team’. They have tasted bitter disappointment in the league and the Champions League in the past two campaigns. They were bested by Juventus in Serie A in both 2017/18 and 2018/19. And, as well as their Champions League exit by the finest of margins last season, they were unable to make it out of the group stages in the previous campaign, too.
This season, they have already faced a similar level of disappointment: after clawing their way back from three goals down to be drawing 3-3 with Juventus with 92 minutes on the clock, their usual defensive rock Kalidou Koulibally turned the ball into his own net. Had it not been for this, they would we level with their title rivals in Turin.
However, as Serie A has been something of a foregone conclusion in recent years (Juve have won it eight times in a row), perhaps Carlo Ancelotti will be tempted to focus more on European competition this year. After all, he has a magnificent squad at his disposal and one that is more than capable of competing with the best in the Champions League.
One thing is for sure: this clash at Anfield is a mouth-watering fixture. Hopefully, we’ll be treated to the ‘rock and roll’ football which these two European heavyweights have delivered over the course of the past few years.
Tipsterz predictions and odds | Napoli – Liverpool
- Napoli to Win – 3.01
- Draw – 3.52
- Liverpool to Win – 2.33
- Over 2.5 goals. Yes 1.66 | No 2.18
Tipsterz team prediction for Napoli – Liverpool is Both Teams To Score Yes @ 1.55- All odds posted in this preview are taken from 1xbit / 1xbet. Odds are subject to change