The atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium will be considerably different to the last time that Napoli visited the home of the Spanish giants Real Madrid. In 1987, Diego Maradona took his Napoli side, fresh from winning their first Serie A title, to the Spanish capital in the first round of the old European Cup playing out a bad tempered match in front of no fans (Real had to play the game behind closed doors due to crowd trouble from the previous season.) The Italians crashed out at the earliest stage of the old format of the competition, losing 3-1 over two legs.

 

This evening will see the two sides lock horns for the first time since that encounter and fans can anticipate a completely different type of occasion as they meet in the round of the last 16. 

 

This game almost guarantees goals as Madrid who are unbeaten in ten UEFA Champions League matches, have scored at least twice in the last six games in the competition. Napoli who are unbeaten away from home in this year’s competition and are arguably playing the best football in Europe right now, are also unbeaten in all competitions since October winning 11 out of 13 games.

 

Maurizio Sarri and his Napoli team can take heart from the fact that Madrid do tend to struggle against Italian sides. Real Madrid have been eliminated in seven of their last eight ties with clubs from the peninsula in the European Cup or Champions League in the knock out stages; the only exception was against Roma in last season’s round of 16. But in order for the Partenopei to progress past this round for the first time, they must try and stop Los Merengues from scoring for the first time in 34 Champions League home games. Hardly a realistic prospect considering they have only kept one clean sheet in their last 10 Champions League away games.

 

As for Madrid, they sit top of the La Liga table having suffered just one domestic loss this season despite not playing at their best. Their Champions League form is imperious having made the knock out stages every season for the last 20 and have made at least the semi-finals in the last six. But head coach Zinedine Zidane will know that in order to progress his side will have to be at their very best.

 

Both sides will probably line up in like for like 4-3-3 formations, so the game may depend on individual brilliance to decide the outcome. 

 

Real Madrid with the loss of goal scoring form from Cristiano Ronaldo, who has gone almost five games without a goal in the competition, will look to French striker Karim Benzema who has scored four of Real Madrid’s last six Champions League goals and will be hoping to add to his career total of 53 in the competition.

 

Napoli, post Gonzalo Higuain, have found a surprise replacement for goals in Belgian Dries Mertens, having already scored 16 goals in Serie A, the winger turned forward has scored four and assisted two of Napoli’s last eight Champions League goals. His continued form will be essential if Napoli want to pull of a surprise against the current holders of the Coupe des Clubs Champions Européens.

Probable stating line-ups:

Real Madrid (4-3-3) Navas; Marcelo, Varane, Ramos, Carvajal; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Ronaldo, Benzema, Vazquez
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Mark Neale