Champions League Preview: Manchester City vs Napoli

Manchester City kick off their Champions League campaign this Thursday with a heavyweight clash against Italian champions SSC Napoli. Spurred on by a dominant derby win, Pep Guardiola’s side is now set to turn its focus to Europe’s most coveted footballing accolade - One that they lifted two years ago in a historic treble-winning season but that has evaded them in the two campaigns since.

This clash, however, is not a straightforward one. City are up against Antonio Conte’s Napoli - Scudetto holders and table-toppers so far this season with three emphatic wins from three matches. Guardiola has faced Conte seven times in his career, losing four of these games and winning three.

With both squads stacked with talent and replete with a hunger for European glory, this matchup promises group stage drama. Here is a detailed preview of what to expect from this clash of titans in the UEFA Champions League.

Manchester City vs Napoli: Predicted Lineups

Manchester City

Sandwiched between a Manchester derby and a challenging trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal, the Napoli game comes at a tough time for City. As a result, Pep may choose to make some judicious rotations to his starting eleven to avoid injuries.

City’s injury roster is already sizable, with Marmoush, Cherki, Kovačić and Aït-Nouri set to miss the game and John Stones a doubt for the fixture as well. Further, Pep is likely to rest Phil Foden and Rodri given their recent injury history. Here is my predicted starting XI for Manchester City:

Manchester City Tactics

If this is the lineup that City starts with at the Etihad, I expect Pep to deploy his usual 3-2-5 buildup structure in possession, especially considering that Napoli presses with a front two in Højlund and De Bruyne.

Aké will tuck in at LCB while Matheus Nunes maintains width on the overlap, while Rico Lewis will be less advanced than Reijnders, often dropping to aid circulation in a double pivot. Savinho will maintain width on the left, and Oscar Bobb will invert into the half-space as he did against Brighton:

This will result in the formation of a box midfield, which is conducive for progressive passes in between Napoli’s lines. Moreover, it is important that City has numbers in midfield to counter Conte’s central overload.

Predicted Lineup: SSC Napoli

Conte is largely expected to continue with the side that defeated Fiorentina 3-1 on Sunday. However, he may opt for Mathías Olivera at left back ahead of Leonardo Spinazzola due to the former being a more reliable option defensively. Further, the return of goalkeeper Alex Meret provides the Italian outfit with a more experienced option than Vanja Milinković-Savić.

Apart from these contested positions, Manchester United loanee Rasmus Højlund is expected to lead the line due to Romelu Lukaku’s injury, with Scott McTominay and KDB the marquee names in midfield. Nikita Contini and Amir Rrahmani are also unavailable due to injury. Here is my predicted starting XI for Napoli:

Napoli Tactics:

With this setup, Conte will be happy soaking up pressure for certain periods. However, he will also instruct his team to challenge for possession.

When they have the ball, Napoli’s left back overlaps aggressively down the flank, with Scott McTominay inverting into the left half-space in midfield. At times, De Bruyne is almost a second striker, with Lobotka acting as the Lavolpiana and dropping down in between the centre backs:

As a result, Napoli forms an asymmetrical diamond structure in midfield, with KDB lurking in between the lines and often serving as more of a goal threat than a deeper playmaker. However, he often drifts wide on the left as well, flourishing in a quasi-free roam role.

The combinations on Napoli’s left have unleashed Scott McTominay, who revived his career with a Serie A Player of the Season award last campaign. With all the movement around him, the Scotsman has the propensity to bulldoze through the left half-space at pace, a sequence that could cause problems for City.

The Return of Kevin De Bruyne

When it comes to Napoli’s visit to the Etihad, one storyline permeates through all other narratives: the return of Kevin De Bruyne, one of the greatest City players of all time. The midfield maestro has adapted well to life in Naples, but his return to the Etihad will be tinged with a feeling of nostalgia and redolence from all parties involved.

Expect chants of ‘Oh, Kevin De Bruyne’ from the entire stadium tomorrow as the City fans welcome back a player who defined a triumphant era with his leadership, playmaking ability and sublime assists, facilitating the confluence of football with pure art on the pitch. The reunion will bring with it wistfulness, reminiscence and fond memories.

A Game for Tijjani Reijnders

Following Tijjani Reijnders’ positive start to life at City with a goal against Wolves, the Dutchman has been plagued by periodic sloppiness and poor decision-making in recent games. However, Thursday represents a chance for him to reassert his influence.

For Reijnders, Napoli is a familiar foe, with the Dutchman having faced them during his spell at AC Milan. He is likely to operate in the pocket of space between André-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Stanislav Lobotka in attacking midfield. Considering Anguissa’s aggressive defensive style and Reijnders’ penchant for trickery, I believe that Tijjani will manufacture numerous chances against Milan in transition, driving at their defence with his signature pace. This could be his game.

Haaland to Break Another Record?

With Pep Guardiola embracing a more transitional manner of play against United, Haaland was unleashed, bagging a brace and constantly threatening in behind. With nine goals in his last four appearances for club and country, the Norwegian striker is on form and has amassed a commendable tally of 1.52 non-penalty expected goals in the EPL so far this season.

In the Champions League, Haaland has his sights set on yet another record: the fastest player to score 50 goals. The current record, set by Ruud van Nistelrooy with 50 goals in 62 games, has held strong for almost two decades, but Haaland is already on 49 goals in 48 games. A strike tomorrow would see him smash the Dutch marksman’s record by some distance, cementing his reputation as a goal machine.

Napoli’s Set Piece Threat

Napoli is a team that enjoys sequences of patient, slow buildup in possession. However, they are a considerable threat from set pieces. In their opening three Serie A games, the Partenopei have already accumulated 2.48 xG from set pieces alone, scoring three goals from these situations. Alongside their towering centre backs, the likes of Højlund, McTominay and Anguissa all offer ample aerial threat, and De Bruyne’s deliveries from corners are usually immaculate. Conte’s side may rely on these set piece scenarios to take the lead against City.

A Champions League Blockbuster

The tactics are in place and the lineups will unequivocally be formidable, but the stature of the occasion is arguably more profound. This is the Champions League, a blockbuster fixture where both sides will demonstrate their desire for Europe’s most coveted prize. Whether the match manifests itself as a tactical chess game or an open-ended affair remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: Manchester City vs Napoli is a fixture that promises excitement.

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