Napoli will face AC Milan’s Stefano Pioli’s team in a crucial matchup on Wednesday at the San Siro as the UEFA Champions League returns with another round of games. Napoli are at the top of the Serie A standings right now and have been playing very well this season. The Neapolitan team, which edged Lecce 2-1 over the weekend, will be upbeat going into this game.
On the other hand, AC Milan is currently in fourth place in the league table and has not performed at their best this season. The Rossoneri were held to a 0-0 impasse by Empoli in their past game and should accept it up a score this week.
Match Details
- AC Milan – Napoli
- Champions League Europe
- Date – 12/04/2023
- Starting time – 19:00 UTC
- Venue: Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy
Prediction
Napoli will be determined to establish themselves in Europe after a stellar season. The Neapolitans’ new star, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, will attempt to cause havoc in the final third.
This season, AC Milan has shown glimpses of brilliance, but they must improve their consistency. At the moment, Napoli is the better team, and they have a slight advantage going into this game.
Prediction: Napoli 1-2 AC Milan
Head-to-Head
- In contrast to AC Milan’s eight victories, Napoli has won 13 of the last 32 meetings between the two teams. This is a good recent record for Napoli.
- AC Milan have lost only one of their nine matches against individual Italian groups on the European front, while Napoli have gotten one triumph and one loss each from such games.
- AC Milan have won only one of their last nine home games against Napoli in all rivalries, with their main such triumph during this period coming in the 2018-19 Coppa Italia quarterfinals.
- In all competitions, Napoli has won their last three games against AC Milan away from home, their best run against the Rossoneri.
- The previous time AC Milan reached the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League, they lost to Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona. This is the first time since 2011-12 that they have done so.
Team news
Milan’s regulars should all return on Wednesday evening, as Stefano Pioli was once again acutely aware of his squad’s lack of depth after making several changes to the starting XI against Empoli.
Simon Kjaer and Rade Krunic are likely to join Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud at the beginning. Additionally, Brahim Diaz returns in the hope of repeating his outstanding performance earlier this month against Napoli.
However, Pierre Kalulu is expected to miss out because of a problem with his calf. This means that savvy veteran Kjaer will have to fight with young Malick Thiaw for the right to play alongside Fikayo Tomori in the hosts’ back four.
While Giroud leads Milan in Champions League goals with four this season, Napoli has four players with the same total: Piotr Zielinski, Giovanni Simeone, Victor Osimhen, and Giacomo Raspadori
However, in addition to the devastating loss of Serie A Capocanonniere leader Osimhen to a thigh injury, his deputy Simeone is now a doubt after suffering a knock in the match against Lecce.
Except if the Argentina global can recuperate in time for the excursion to Italy’s subsequent city, Raspadori might need to nominate in the guests’ front three, on the left of which will be ‘Kvaradona’ himself – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Lineup
AC Milan:
- Maignan
- Calabria, Tomori, Kjaer, Hernandez
- Tonali, Krunic, Bennacer
- Diaz, Leao
- Giroud
Napoli:
- Meret
- Di Lorenzo, Kim, Rrahmani, Rui
- Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski
- Lozano, Raspadori, Kvaratskhelia
Betting Tips
The outcome: Napoli to score more than 2.5 goals; Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to score; Napoli to score first;
Where to watch
Watch the match on Sony Sports Network