Napoli Face Qarabag in Maradona Tribute Clash
Tonight, all eyes in Naples will be on the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona as SSC Napoli take on Qarabag FK in the UEFA Champions League. This match carries special significance, marking the fifth anniversary of Diego Maradona’s passing, and Napoli’s head coach Antonio Conte has made it clear that a victory will be dedicated to the legendary Argentinian.
Napoli enter this game in the midst of an injury crisis, missing key players such as Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa, Billy Gilmour, Kevin De Bruyne, Leonardo Spinazzola, and Romelu Lukaku. To navigate this challenge, Conte has confirmed a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Rasmus Hojlund leading the attack, supported by David Neres and Noa Lang on either side. The only change from recent matches sees Matias Olivera stepping in for the injured Miguel Gutierrez on the left flank. Lorenzo Lucca, suspended for Napoli’s previous Champions League match, is now available on the bench.
Also Read:- Thanksgiving Travel Faces a Fierce Lake Effect Snow Shift
- Mason Greenwood Thrives in France Despite English Football Fallout
Napoli’s campaign in Europe has been mixed so far. They secured a narrow 2-1 win against Sporting CP, suffered defeats to Manchester City and PSV Eindhoven when reduced to ten men, and drew 0-0 with Eintracht Frankfurt. Overall, only four points have been collected from their first four group-stage games, with defensive struggles seeing over two goals conceded per game on average.
Qarabag, however, have impressed as the surprise package of this season’s Champions League. The Azerbaijani side eliminated Ferencvaros in the qualifiers and followed that up with notable victories over Benfica and FC Copenhagen. They also held Chelsea to a 2-2 draw, showing resilience on big European stages. Camilo Duran leads the Qarabag attack, flanked by Leandro Andrade, Abdellah Zoubir, and Emmanuel Addai, who was benched in the last game against Chelsea.
Ahead of the match, a traditional pre-game UEFA lunch was held at Naples’ Palazzo Petrucci, hosted by Napoli’s vice president Edoardo De Laurentiis. Qarabag’s owner Tahir Gozal, vice president Fevzihan Aras, and representatives from both clubs were present, alongside UEFA delegate Ryan Peadar and Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Italy, Rashad Aslanov. Napoli honored their guests with a work of art titled “Inchino” by Antonio Nocera, highlighting the spirit of camaraderie surrounding the European fixture.
Conte is fully aware of Qarabag’s strengths. “They have earned seven points against tough opponents, and they’ll bring plenty of energy from the start,” he said. Historically, Italian sides have been unbeaten against Azerbaijani teams in European competition, winning six of eight encounters, including the last four in a row. Qarabag, meanwhile, are yet to taste victory in six games against Italian clubs.
With Napoli motivated to honor Maradona and Qarabag eager to prove themselves, tonight promises to be an intense and emotional Champions League showdown. The kickoff is set for 20:00 GMT, and fans can expect a battle full of passion, history, and European football drama.
Read More:
0 Comments