Europa League: Can Naples End Unwanted Streak?

Arsenal vs Napoli

As the Europa League goes, the importance of the competition is very clear in both north London and Naples.

Arsenal coach Unai Emery knows winning this trophy for a fourth time as the boss will give his side clear passage into Europe’s premier competition next season (the Champions League) regardless of how the frantic Premier League battle for a top-four spot pans out.

Napoli, meanwhile, are able to put all their efforts into winning their first European trophy since 1989 with their hopes of domestic success long over.

Both sides have produced Europa League highlights since the turn of the year and, it is true, this would have made an enjoyable final.

Yet one will be heading home after the two-legged quarter-finals and it’s hard to separate them right now.

Talking Points

Napoli fans of a certain vintage will go misty-eyed at the mention of this competition, formerly the UEFA Cup.

This tie sees them competing in the last eight for the third time in their history but they will always remember the first ever time.

It was in 1989 when they went onto win the tournament with a side featuring a certain Diego Maradona.

Nowadays, there is no one to match Maradona for the Partenopei as Napoli are a distant second in Serie A to runaway leaders Juventus, although they have a gap to spare over the chasing pack and look set for a return to next season’s Champions League.

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Premier League

They had their moments in this season’s campaign and were certainly unfortunate not to progress after only losing one of their games in the ‘group of death’.

Napoli will have highly-rated defender Kalidou Koulibaly and Nikola Maksimovic back in their ranks after both players missed their side’s last European match through suspension.

They also have big attacking names returning for this one with Lorenzo Insigne and Simone Verdi due to return to the squad.

Insigne, who has 13 goals and seven assists this season, was rested for Napoli’s 1-1 weekend draw with Genoa but has recovered from a thigh injury, while Verdi has been passed fit after his muscular twinge.

After that match, boss Carlo Ancelotti admitted his side are ‘defending badly and getting the basics wrong’ and that will be music to the ears of the likes of home strikers Alexander Lacazette and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, who is expected to be restored to the starting line-up.

Goalkeeper David Ospina, on loan in Naples from Arsenal but eligible to play against his parent club, is expected to miss out because of a head injury.

Arsenal pair Granit Xhaka and Laurent Koscielny are major doubts with the Swiss midfielder missing the last two Premier League matches with a groin injury, while Koscielny has been similarly absent since the international break, only returning from a serious Achilles problem in December.

At home this season, Emery’s team have been very impressive, winning 14 and drawing two of their 17 league matches at the Emirates Stadium, including a 10-match winning streak in the autumn.

They have, however, looked poor on their travels and crashed to first-leg defeats at BATE Borisov and Rennes in the Europa League last 32 and last 16 respectively, before recovering with victories on home soil.

They will be less likely to recover should they endure a poor first leg this time around.

Can Carlo Ancelotti guide Napoli to Europa League glory? — Carlo Ancelotti giving instruction to his players from the touchline during Napoli’s match against AC Milan

History

These sides have been more used to playing each other in pre-season friendlies, dating back to the late 1980s, than in official competition.

In fact, their only other meetings came in the Champions League group stages in the 2013/14 season.

Two goals in the opening 15 minutes from Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud gave the Gunners a 2-0 home success.

It was a role reversal in Naples two months later when two goals in the last 17 minutes from Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Callejon saw the Italians triumph, although Arsenal qualified for the last 16, unlike Napoli.

Betting Tip

	Arsenal vs Napoli	1X2 Draw @ 3.15
	April 12, 03:00 (GMT+8)

Arsenal start as sight favourites when you look at the Europa League betting odds which Sbobet has to offer.

The home side are priced 1X2 @ 2.36 and Napoli 1X2 @ 2.94 with the draw @ 3.15.

It’s a similar scenario with Asian Handicap odds with the Gunners -0.25 @ 2.07 and Napoli 0.00 @ 2.19.

A repeat scoreline from their last meeting at the Emirates – correct score 2-0 – is available @ 13.00, and, given the attacking talents on both sides, it’s no surprise goals are anticipated.

That is shown by total goal 0-1 @ 3.80, compared to total goal 2-3 @ 1.87 and total goal 4-6 @ 2.91 and over 2.75 goals @ 1.97.

This is very close to call, but Napoli have a nine-match winless run on English soil and, while I think that will extend to 10, I do think they will return home with honours even.