Can Napoli secure Europa League victory for Italy?
Napoli have a tough draw for the quarter-finals, however, with Carlo Ancelotti’s team to host Premier League giants and one of the pre-tournament favourites, PL club Arsenal. Napoli defeated Salzburg in the round of 16; the same team who had came from behind to knock our fellow Serie A side Lazio the year before.
Napoli, with statistics from WhoScored, are the team with the fourth highest average team rating; whilst, out of the teams remaining in the competition, only Arsenal and Chelsea have had more possession on average – the Neapolitan side racking up 54.5% while Arsenal and the Blues registered 59.9% and 65.2% respectively. Not only this but Napoli have the 4th highest amount of shots per game in the competition, only Frankfurt, Salzburg and Chelsea having a higher average. This proves that the Italian side have the quality and, in a survey, 18% of people think Napoli will lift the Europa League trophy with Chelsea just below with 17% and Valencia in third on 15%.
However, the next round will not be easy. Napoli take on Arsenal who, as aforementioned, have been one of the favourites for the competition since it began. Despite shaky first legs in Belarus and France against BATE and Rennes respectively, Arsenal have still progressed to this stage and will be a challenge for Ancelotti’s Napoli. Arsenal’s most expensive player and one of their biggest threats, according to statistics from TransferMarkt, is Gabonese forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang , who the website value at £67.5m. Napoli will have to be at their best to progress past the Gunners.