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Napoli logo
Champions League | Round of 16
Mar 7, 2017 at 7.45pm UK
 
Real Madrid logo

1-3

Mertens (24')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Ramos (52'), Mertens (57' og.), Morata (91')

Team News: Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale return for Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale return to the Real Madrid starting lineup for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with Napoli.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale have been recalled to the Real Madrid starting lineup for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with Napoli this evening.

Both players were left out of the side that cruised to a 4-1 win against Eibar at the weekend, but return for tonight's match at the Stadio San Paolo as Madrid look to reach the quarter-finals of this competition for a seventh successive season.

Madrid go into the second leg with a 3-1 aggregate advantage, and manager Zinedine Zidane is able to name close to a full-strength side as the likes of Dani Carvajal, Marcelo and Toni Kroos also return having been rested at the weekend.

Karim Benzema keeps his place in the side having scored twice in the win over Eibar, and a goal for the Frenchman this evening would see him score in five consecutive Champions League matches for the first time in his career.

Napoli, meanwhile, are boosted by the news that top-scorer Dries Mertens has overcome a knock to start up front as the hosts look to qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.

Allan has also recovered from a thigh injury to start, while Raul Albiol and Jose Callejon will both feature against their former clubs once again this evening.

Maurizio Sarri makes just two changes to the side that beat Roma at the weekend, with Allan and Amadou Diawara replacing Marko Rog and Jorginho in the starting lineup.

Napoli: Reina; Hysaj, Albiol, Koulibaly, Ghoulam; Allan, Diawara, Hamsik; Callejon, Mertens, Insigne
Subs: Raffael, Jorginho, Maggio, Maksimovic, Zielinski, Rog, Milik

Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Casemiro, Kroos, Modric; Bale, Ronaldo, Benzema
Subs: Casilla, Nacho, James, Vazquez, Morata, Isco, Danilo

Follow every moment of the action from the Stadio San Paolo courtesy of Sports Mole's live coverage of the match.

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