UEFA Champions League Preview: SSC Napoli vs Borussia Dortmund

Can Napoli upset Dortmund?

Matchday 2 of this season’s edition of the UEFA Champions League and German giants Borussia Dortmund travel to the Naples to take on SSC Napoli in what promises to be a fast and exciting affair.

Dortmund finished second best in the Champions League and the Bundesliga, last season, and seem determined to not let that happen once again. They sold one of their best players in Mario Götze to Bayern Munich for just €37 million and yet managed to forge a stronger team with the introduction of two new faces.

This season so far, Dortmund have played 5 matches, winning all of them, and have looked like a champion side every time. Their lack of depth up top does not seem to be bothering them as their midfielders seem more than capable of scoring enough goals to get them through.

Jürgen Klopp preferred a fluid yet lightning quick playing style last season and if anything, they seem to have not only retained that ability, but taken it one step further. Generally being deployed in a 4-2-3-1, the midfield pivot does a lot of work for them with Ilkay Gundogan and Lars Bender being key to their seamless passing, quick counter attacks and high pressure defending.

Shutting out the pivot is the only effective way of making sure Dortmund don’t dominate the game, and that is something Rafael Benitez should be aware of.

Napoli, on the other hand, took a similar second placed finish in completely different spirits as they celebrated their hard fought 2nd place with a lot of enthusiasm. Having been drawn into the group of death doesn’t seem to have affected the players in any way as they prepare for the huge test of taking on one of the most lethal teams in European football.

Benitez recently said that “if Gareth Bale is worth €100 million then Hamsik is priceless.” Although most people would agree that Bale was overpriced, it would be foolhardy to assume Hamsik would be sold by Napoli to anybody at all. A lot was said when Lavezzi and Cavani left that Hamsik would struggle and would be exposed, but he has not only proved everyone wrong, but also has done it spectacularly.

Stepping up to the plate as the team’s best player, Hamsik seems to grow in confidence with every passing game. He is a very hard working player and orchestrates almost all of Napoli’s attacks throughout the match. Hamsik has been so good that his stats of 2 goals in 3 games this season doesn’t even begin to showcase how good a player he is.

With Gonzalo Higuain up top Napoli can be very confident of some brilliant moments from two of their best players which would be necessary if they are to get a positive result tonight against the Germans.

Team News:

SSC Napoli

Over the summer, the partenopei lost their best player and star striker in Edison Cavani to PSG after a very long and dragged out affair. They have however, strengthened the team very well with the funds from Cavani’s transfer buying both Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Callejon from Real Madrid and loaning in Pepe Reina from Liverpool.

Marek Hamsik has decided to step up his game this season and has looked nothing short of brilliant in the 3 appearances in the Serie A so far. With Dortmund being Napoli’s biggest test till now in the season, all of those three should get the start.

Borussia Dortmund

Losing Gotze does not seem to have affected Dortmund or Klopp, who has brought in Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. They sit pretty on top of the Bundesliga table having won all of their first 5 matches but will have to make do without Ilkay Gundogan- who is nursing a back injury- and captain Sebastian Kehl, who has injured his ankle. Mkhitaryan should get the start with Lewandowski up top and Nuri Sahin in the middle.

Napoli is certainly not a pushover and the partenopei could make life very difficult for the Germans. Dortmund however will be looking to start strong and a win at the Naples would be fantastic.

All in all this could be the match of the week as far as the Champions League is concerned.