Real Madrid vs Napoli comes up on 29 November 2023, the second phase of matchday two of the 2023 UEFA Champions League season. Both teams are already fully aware of their fates but still stand a chance to finish strongly in Group C.
These two football giants are set to meet at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, and the footballing world eagerly anticipates the showdown.
Their last meeting at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium was a thriller which ended 3-2 in favour of Real Madrid. Napoli, however, came away with the knowledge that they could take the fight to the record holders of the Champions League title.
Now playing away at Madrid, the Partenopei will be looking to pull the kind of upset that Manchester City pulled on their way to the final of the 2019/20 season.
Real Madrid, a club with a storied history in the Champions League, will seek to assert their dominance again. On the other hand, Napoli has been making steady progress after their shaky start to the season under Rudi Garcia.
They have also been making steady progress in the Champions League recently and are determined to establish themselves as genuine contenders.
Napoli is spearheaded by a formidable strike force featuring Victor Osimhen and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia – two players that Madrid reportedly is interested in– and can pose a significant threat to Real Madrid’s defense. However, they will have to deal with the tenacity of Antonio Rüdiger following the German’s incredible performance in the reverse fixture.
The history between these two clubs adds extra spice to this encounter, as they have faced each other in the Champions League on five occasions. Napoli has only managed one draw in that run, while Madrid has taken four wins, including a knockout victory in the 2016/17 season as they made their way to their 12th title.
Only a few teams have taken three points from the Santiago Bernabeu in the Champions League. Napoli fancy themselves as one of the teams who will be entered into the history books.
The upcoming Real Madrid vs Napoli is shaping up to be a football spectacle of epic proportions. Fans and neutrals will climb over each other to get tickets to the game. Read on for match ticket information, team news, and predictions for this titanic battle on 29 November 2023.
Match Tickets
Real Madrid vs Napoli tickets will go live on both Real Madrid’s website and Napoli’s website any moment from now. Proactive fans have already joined the waitlist on both clubs’ websites to get tickets for the clash at the Santiago.
Bernabeu on 29 November 2023. According to projections, the tickets will sell out fast, so several fans cannot grab tickets from the clubs’ sources. These fans can visit ticket reselling platforms like Seatsnet.com to purchase tickets from fans or organizations with Real Madrid or Napoli tickets to the game, which kicks off at 9 PM UTC.
Fans at home can stream the game via streaming platforms like TNT Sports (via the Discovery+ app) or CBS Sports Golazo (via the Paramount+ app). A subscription to these apps and channels is needed to access the game.
Team News
Carlo Ancelotti has everyone except the players with long-term injuries at his disposal for the Real Madrid vs Napoli match. He will worry about the match fitness of young midfielder Arda Güler and could give him a run of games in La Liga to build up his confidence.
Napoli has no players out injured, but their one worry will be the match fitness of Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian striker sustained an injury in the October international break. He missed several games as a result and only just completed 90 minutes of action recently. He is a shoo-in to start against Madrid, but his fitness remains a concern.
Lineups
Kepa Arrizabalaga continues to hold down the fort for Thibaut Courtois in the Real Madrid goal and will do so when Napoli comes fishing for goals and three points. A strong performance against the Serie A defending champions could make a case for his permanent addition to the squad at the end of the season.
His fellow loanee, Joselu, is also gunning for the same thing, but Carlo Ancelotti may line up the players who took the fight to Italy last time around. This means the 33-year-old striker could be on the bench while Vinicius Jnr and Rodrygo lead the attack for Los Blancos.
- Real Madrid: Kepa; Camavinga, Rüdiger, Nacho, Carvajal; Kroos, Tchouameni, Valverde; Bellingham; Vinicius Jnr, Rodrygo.
Napoli fans are to expect the same as Rudi Garcia, as the French manager has not changed much from how Luciano Spaletti used to line up the side. Victor Osimhen will spearhead the attack alongside Kvaratskhelia and Politano, while captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo will handle the defense. The center-back pairing will give the former LOSC Lille manager a selection headache.
- Napoli: Meret; Oliveira, Østigård, Natan, Di Lorenzo; Zambo-Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia.
Prediction
Real Madrid vs Napoli will produce fireworks at both ends of the pitch. There will be tough tackles, a great fan atmosphere, and incredible defensive efforts. The Italian side will employ speed, but the Spanish team will be up to the task.
Both teams will trouble each other’s goalkeepers with long shots and set pieces. Rudi Garcia will be the underdog in this clash and could play into his hands if he gets his in-game management right.
Ancelotti will introduce Luka Modric in the game and Joselu for some experience. Napoli’s home advantage will be difficult to overcome, giving Madrid the edge in this game.
- Real Madrid 2 -1 Napoli.
