Napoli vs Salzburg
5th November 2000hrs
Football – Europe – Champions League
Pick Napoli
Bookmaker Marathonbet
Odds: 10/11 odds taken 2000 GMT, Friday 1 November)
Napoli host Salzburg two weeks following their impressive victory in one of the most entertaining games of this group stage to date. The Austrians will be out for revenge as they look to maintain their own qualification hopes.
Champions League Betting at Marathonbet
Napoli vs Salzburg Live Stats & Betting Odds
Napoli Preview – Can Napoli make it back to back victories over Austrians and take control of group?
The more the season progresses, the more likely it is that Napoli will begin targeting the Champions League as their main priority. Another defeat in Serie A at the weekend (their third in 11 games already) leaves Carlo Ancelotti’s men in seventh spot and 11 points behind leaders Juventus. Having been the second force in Italian football for the last few years, Napoli are having to adjust to now being behind the likes of the Rome clubs and a resurgent Inter Milan. Ancelotti will point to the fact it’s still early in the season but there are already concerning signs. With only five league wins thus far there needs to be serious improvement if they are to compete with the top two.
With their domestic struggles there for all to see, Napoli’s performances in the Champions League have been a source of comfort as they remain top of Group E after the first half of games. Wins over Liverpool and Salzburg have been hard earned but they have been impressive in both. Ancelotti will be well aware that there is still a lot of football to be played, though. A trip to Anfield follows at the end of this month and they will hoped to travel to Liverpool with 1o points to their name and go to within touching distance of qualifying for the knockout stage.
Salzburg Preview – Will Salzburg take revenge for narrow home defeat and keep tabs with leaders?
It may be their first ever season in the Champions League but Salzburg have acquitted themselves really well in their first games. The only surprise is that the Austrian champions have managed to take only three points from their first three matches. Those points came in their maiden game in the competition when thrashing Genk 6-2 at home. Since then they have played every so well against both Liverpool and Napoli but have been undone by two of the best attacking sides in Europe. There is no disgrace in losing 4-3 to Liverpool or 3-2 at home to Napoli. Jesse Marcsh will be demanding his team learn from those defeats and understands that plaudits for their style of play means nothing without points to go along with them.
Norwegian teenager Erling Haaland has been the start of the season so far for Salzburg. Signed from Molde, the striker has been in sensational goal scoring form both domestically and in Europe. Haaland is on 21 goals already and has scored in all three Champions League games, including a hat-trick in that win over Genk. He also notched in the first game against Napoli but was left frustrated to still end up on the losing side.
Key-Facts – Napoli vs Salzburg
- Napoli are undefeated in this year’s Champions League having taken seven points from their first three games
- Salzburg are making their Champions League debut this season but they have performed admirably and will feel hard done by not to have more points
- Erling Haaland is the top scorer in this season’s competition with seven goals in his first three games
Napoli v Salzburg Betting Advice
The first meeting between these two sides was an excellent advertisement for European football and a game that Salzburg will feel very unfortunate not to have taken something from it. In the context of the group it leaves them with an uphill battle of reaching the top top with Liverpool at home and a trip to Genk to come. They need a minimum of a point in tomorrow’s game but Napoli will have something to say about that as victory would virtually assure them of their own qualification.
This is the group for goals on the evidence we have seen so far and that could well continue on Tuesday. Salzburg carry threats from all over the park and their style is one of the most attacking at this level. Napoli are likely to relish that, especially at home, as it will allow them to counter on their opponents which they are so good at. There could well be a glut of goals but the hosts can put their experience to good use and do the double of Salzburg.
