Champions League: Napoli Welcome Dangerous but Depleted Die Adler

Napoli vs Eintracht Frankfurt

Frankfurt, who won the Europa League in 2022, are what I consider the ‘best of the rest’ in the Bundesliga: a team which can challenge the best on a one-off occasion but, ultimately, will usually be outside the top four in the country as it annually struggles to try and keep hold of its best players.

Now, as the side travels to Naples for a meeting with the Italian champions, the fact that Die Adler are still in that position – despite finishing third in the Bundesliga last term to qualify for the Champions League – merely confirms the difficulties it has to progress much further.

 

Talking Points

Under the excellent Oliver Glasner, now at Crystal Palace, it’s only three and a half years since Frankfurt embarked on a successful European campaign, reaching the final of the Europa League final for the second time in the club’s history (UEFA Cup 1980), defeating Barcelona and West Ham United en route before seeing off Rangers in the final in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.

The following season, Glasner led Frankfurt to second place in the Champions League group stage against Spurs, Sporting Lisbon and Marseille before losing in the last 16 (to Napoli).

Of course, since then, the German side has sold a number of its leading players, including Filip Kostic, Randal Kolo Muani, Omar Marmoush and, this summer, Hugo Ekitike.

Frankfurt go into the contest after a draw on Saturday and they will have been frustrated after only managing a point at the Bundesliga’s bottom club Heidenheim.

Rasmus Kristensen cancelled out Budu Zivzivadze’s opener in a clash where coach Dino Toppmöller opted to rest several key players with the Italian trip in mind, including top scorer Jonathan Burkardt.

Kristensen, who last season signed a permanent deal with Eintracht Frankfurt following his loan from Leeds United, has been an important part of the Eagles’ rise to reach Europe’s top table.

They quickly need some Champions League 2025 highlights though.

Defeat in this one though could mean their involvement is short lived after heavy defeats to Atletico Madrid and Liverpool so far – they did beat Galatasaray 5-1 in their group stage opener in September.

Napoli were also frustrated at the weekend but, largely, have made a decent start to their title defence and enjoyed a 3-1 success over closest rivals Inter Milan last weekend, before being held at home by Como on Saturday – a result which, by the time you read this, may have cost them the Serie A leadership.

It could have been worse had goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic not saved an Alvaro Morata penalty as the Italian champions failed to score in a league game for only the second time this season.

The Serbian keeper has now saved six of the last 10 penalties he has faced in Serie A.

With Italian footballer of the year Scott McTominay recently returned from injury alongside Man Utd loanee Rasmus Hojlund, Antonio Conte’s side have match winners, even in the absence of Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne.

De Bruyne underwent surgery on his right hamstring in 2023 but has continued to suffer injuries to that muscle since and the club confirmed last week that he has a “high-grade lesion” and will be sidelined for several months.

Despite his absence, the hosts should have too much know-how for opponents who would thrive more consistently if they could afford to retain their stellar names.

 

History

This will be the fifth ever meeting between the clubs and it’s currently level pegging.

In late 1994, the sides were paired together in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup and the Germans prevailed 1-0 in both legs.

An own goal settled the first tie in Germany before Ralf Falkenmayer scored the solitary goal in Naples.

Fast forward to the last 16 of the Champions League in 2023 and it was a very different story as Napoli secured a 5-0 aggregate success.

The team that would be crowned Italian champions that season could afford to miss a penalty kick as a goal in each half from Victor Osimhen and Giovanni Di Lorenzo secured a 2-0 away win.

They then ran out 3-0 victors on home soil as Osimhen helped himself to two more before a Piotr Zielinski penalty rounded off the scoring.

 

Betting Tip

Who am I to go against the highly reliable SBOTOP Champions League 2025 betting odds?

Napoli are priced 1X2 @ 1.54 and Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.00, while Frankfurt are out much further, both 1X2 @ 4.85 and Asian Handicap +0.75 @ 2.19.

The Draw is on offer @ 4.00 and another 3-0 home success @ 13.50 with Correct Score 3-0.

I can see that happening but won’t be quite so bold.

   

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