Napoli vs Eintracht Frankfurt

High-flying Napoli will be looking to finish what they started and progress beyond the opening Champions League knockout round when they take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the return leg of their last-16 tie.

Napoli’s pursuit of a first-ever appearance in the Champions League quarter-finals looks like a pure formality following a comfortable 2-0 first-leg win in Germany. Luciano Spalletti’s side bounced back from only their second Serie A loss of the season with a comprehensive 2-0 home triumph over Atalanta last weekend, re-establishing an 18-point cushion at the summit. Brimming with confidence after reconsolidating their Scudetto bid, ‘I Partenopei’ will be looking to extend their two-game winning streak against German opposition in major European competitions. Unbeaten in their last 11 home outings in the Champions League proper (W8, D3), Napoli won all three group-stage fixtures in Naples this season, netting 3+ goals on each occasion. Considering they’ve scored at least twice in 12 of their last 13 competitive home games, another free-flowing attacking performance is on the cards.

Meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt’s freefall that started in the first leg continues as they come into proceedings winless in four straight matches across all competitions (D2, L2), bookended by an underwhelming 1-1 home draw against Bundesliga relegation candidate Stuttgart at the weekend. With the odds firmly stacked against Frankfurt’s effort to turn this tie on its head, ‘Die Adler’ will draw confidence from having scored on all three Champions League travels this season, averaging 1.66 goals per game. But manager Oliver Glasner is all too aware of his side’s travel sickness in 2023, with the Germans going winless in all five competitive away fixtures this calendar year (D3, L2). Furthermore, they’ve conceded 2+ goals on their last three road trips.