MX23RW : Thursday, April 25 06:48:30| >> :600:294531:294531:
[monks data]
Napoli logo
Champions League | Group Stage
Sep 18, 2013 at 7.45pm UK
 
Dortmund logo

2-1

Higuain (29'), Insigne (66')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Zuniga (87' og.)

Preview: Napoli vs. Borussia Dortmund

Sports Mole previews Wednesday's Champions League Group F meeting between Napoli and Borussia Dortmund.

The current leaders of Serie A and the Bundesliga will meet on Wednesday when Napoli and Borussia Dortmund clash in the Champions League at the Stadio San Paolo.

The home side, who are under new management this season with Rafael Benitez, invested heavily in their squad over the summer as they prepare for just their second campaign in the group stages of the Champions League.

However, Napoli have not beaten German opposition in any of their last seven fixtures, losing five times and drawing twice in the process.

Dortmund, meanwhile, finished runners-up to domestic rivals Bayern Munich in the Champions League last season. Their record against Italian opposition is not particularly strong, however, with 14 defeats from 27 matches.

As mentioned, Napoli will enter the match sitting atop the Serie A table, having won all three of their league fixtures to date and scoring nine times. Dortmund, meanwhile, have won all five of their Bundesliga fixtures thus far, with 15 points leaving them top of the division.

Benitez could recall Jose Callejon to his starting lineup, while Marek Hamsik is also expected to step back into the team at the expense of Giandomenico Mesto. Gonzalo Higuain, Pepe Reina and Raul Albiol are all due to make their Champions League debuts for the Italian club.

Meanwhile, Dortmund will have both Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang available, but Sebastian Kehl is a slight doubt with an ankle injury.

Recent form

Napoli: LWWWW

Dortmund: WWWWW

Possible starting lineups

Napoli: Reina; Cannavaro, Albiol, Armero; Hamsik, Inler, Mertens, Dzemaili, Insigne; Callejon, Higuain

Dortmund: Weidenfeller; Schmelzer, Hummels, Subotic, Bender; Sahin, Mkhitaryan, Kehl; Reus, Lewandowski, Aubameyang

Sports Mole says: 1-1


ID:105213: cacheID:105213:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4282:No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Napoli's Gonzalo Higuain in action against Bologna on August 25, 2013
Read Next:
Napoli ease past Atalanta
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
QBayern651016
QCopenhagen62228
3Galatasaray61235
4Man Utd61144

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
QArsenal641113
QPSV62319
3Lens62228
4Sevilla60242

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
QReal Madrid660018
QNapoli631210
3Braga61144
4Union Berlin60242

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
QReal Sociedad633012
QInter Milan633012
3Benfica61144
4Salzburg61144

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
QAtletico642014
QLazio631210
3Feyenoord62046
4Celtic61144

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
QDortmund632111
QPSG62228
3AC Milan62228
4Newcastle61235

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
QMan City660018
QRB Leipzig640212
3Young Boys61144
4Red Star60151

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
QBarcelona640212
QPorto640212
3Shakhtar63039
4Antwerp61053


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!