UCL 2022-23: Napoli vs AC Milan: Predicted lineup, injury news, head-to-head, telecast

Italian Giants clash in Naples for a place in the Semi-Finals of the UEFA Champions League

AC Milan will take an important one-goal advantage down south next week, as they are looking counter and topple Napoli for the second time in less than a fortnight. The Rossoneri's first quarter-final in the competition for over a decade begins with a first-leg victory that owed much to their opponent’s lack of clinical finishing and a fine goal on the break from Bennacer.

During the 1st Leg. Both teams were operating on all-out tactics where the scoreline could easily have 03 goals more than the original result. Milan has struggled in the domestic cup after losing to Torino after extra time and still fighting for the champions league spot with Roma and Inter. However, their recent wins against the Serie A leaders in the Champions League will give them enough morale to see it thru to a semi-final spot after the 2005-06 season. 

Napoli is on their march towards a historic league title with a 16-point lead, hence they can afford to focus their minds on turning round the Champions League tie against Milan on Tuesday night, in front of what Spalletti hopes will be a rocking Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The Napoli coach will also hope to have talisman Victor Osimhen back in their ranks after he missed the 1st leg due to injury. Spalletti told the press: "I'm not sure what atmosphere to expect next week, I was sorry to see our stadium like that against Milan [in a 4-0 loss on April 2]. 

Despite Napoli's stunning season, there has been an underlying current of discontent between a section of their fans and president Aurelio De Laurentiis which culminated in a protest about ticket prices in their most recent home game against Milan.

The Rossoneri came away with a 4-0 win played out in a bizarre atmosphere where many fans protested by watching the game in silence and some with their backs turned to the field. Spalletti addressed the recent scenario by stating "If the same thing happens in the return match, I'll leave the bench and go home. Because it's an inexplicable thing. "We're winning the championship after 33 years, we were playing an important game and to see that 'everyone against everyone' is something that I'll never understand and that I'll always carry with me. There's all still to play for, though, and Spalletti's side will be roared on by half of Naples at a packed Stadio Maradona.

Kick-off

Tuesday, 18-04-2023, 03:00 pm (ET)

Wednesday, 19-04-2023, 12:30 am (IST)

Stadium: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples

AC Milan Form (In All Competitions): D- W- D- W- L

Napoli (In All Competitions): D- L- W- L- W

Player to watch

AC Milan: Rafael Leão

Milan will be hoping to have their attacker in the best form once again as he already has destroyed Napoli’s defense at the start of the month in a League match. Only Vinícius Júnior (36) has completed more dribbles than Milan’s Rafael Leão (33) in the UEFA Champions League this term, however, Leão has completed more than any other player in the knockout stages of this season’s tournament (18). Leão’s 33 completed dribbles are the most by a Milan player in a single season since Kaká in 2004-05 (37). 

Napoli: Victor Osimhen

The Nigerian is leading Napoli to win their first Serie A title in over 30 years against Fiorentina in May, as it happened in 1987. Napoli is tearing up in Serie A, Cope Italia, and Champions League this season due to his 30-goal contribution across all competitions. He will be gutted to be on the sidelines during the 1st Leg but will be looking forward to overturning the result on Wednesday night. 

Match Facts for Napoli vs AC Milan

• Napoli has already lost twice to Milan in April, losing 4-0 in Serie A at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium and 1-0 at San Siro in the first leg of this tie. The last side to beat them three times in one season was Lazio in 1994-95.
• Napoli have been eliminated from their last 10 UEFA European knockout ties after losing the first leg, last progressing to the next round after suffering a first-leg deficit in the 1988-89 UEFA Cup quarter-final vs Juventus, overturning a 2-0 first-leg defeat to win 3-2 on an aggregate and go on and win the tournament that year.
• Milan holds a 1-0 lead from the first leg against Napoli, last reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-final in 2006-07. They’ve only been eliminated twice after winning the first leg of a knockout tie – in 2003-04 vs Deportivo de La Coruña in the quarter-final (4-1 first leg, 0-4 second leg) and 2012-13 vs Barcelona in the last 16 (2-0 first leg, 0-4 second leg).

Injury and Team News

AC Milan: Injury: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (thigh) is out with an injury to his left leg.

Napoli: Injury: Giovanni Simeone (thigh) the playmaker is sidelined to his injury to the thigh region of the right leg. 

Red Card: A. Zambo Anguissa received 2 yellow cards in the match against Milan with his 02 yellow cards in the same game. The midfielder will be a huge loss for the upcoming leg.

Head to Head stats 

Matches: 48

AC Milan: 16

Draws: 17

Napoli: 15

Predicted Lineups

SSC Napoli Predicted Lineup (4-3-3):

A. Meret; Mário Rui, Kim Min-Jae, A. Rrahmani, G. Di Lorenzo; P. Zieliński, S. Lobotka, E. Elmas; K. Kvaratskhelia, Victor Osimhen, H. Lozano 

AC Milan Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1):

M. Maignan; T. Hernández, F. Tomori, S. Kjær, D. Calabria; S. Tonali, R. Krunić; Rafael Leão, I. Bennacer, Brahim Díaz; O. Giroud

Match Prediction

We can expect a match with high intensity where both the teams will be looking to book a place in semi-final after a long wait. AC Milan will try to bring back their glory days of early 2000’s whereas Napoli will try to justify their tag of favorites for this year’s Champions League following their dominant run in Serie A. Milan have dominated this fixture in recent 02  matches as they have scored 5 goals while keeping clean sheet both the times against a side who have a devastating attack and playmakers.

Napoli will need to overturn this result with their main attacker fit for the game. This game can go to extra time and penalty with some brilliant box to box football. Napoli will try to convert their attacks into goals and make up for their mistakes in San Siro whereas Milan will be favorites to win with a goal’s cushion in previous fixture.

Prediction: Napoli 2-2 AC Milan

AC Milan to progress on aggregate 3 - 2

Telecast

India – Sony Sports Network, Jio TV, Sony LIV

UK – BT Sport, BT Sports App

US – CBS Sports Network, CBS, Univision, fuboTV, Paramount+

Nigeria – SuperSport