Napoli v Beşiktaş: line-ups, where to watch, form guide
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Article summary
"You only have to be 2% off your best to give your opponents the chance to beat you," Maurizio Sarri warned under-performing Napoli as they look to beat Beşiktaş and make history.
Article top media content
Article body
- Napoli could become first ever side through after three games
- Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri: "I would like to see enthusiasm from the team"
- Şenol Güneş: "Napoli are strongest team in the group"
- Beşiktaş yet to lose in regulation time this season
- Reina set for 150th appearance in UEFA club competition
- Italian side's first European game since Milik ruled out until 2017
Possible line-ups
Napoli: Reina; Hysaj, Maksimović, Koulibaly, Ghoulam; Zieliński, Jorginho, Hamšík; Callejón, Gabbiadini; Mertens.
Out: Granata (suspended), Milik (knee)
Doubtful: Albiol (thigh)
Beşiktaş: Fabri; Gönül, Marcelo, Tošić, Caner Erkin; Hutchinson, Inler; Quaresma, Talisca, Adriano; Cenk Tosun.
Out: Oğuzhan Özyakup (ankle)
Where to watch
Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here
Maurizio Sarri, Napoli coach
You only have to be 2% off your best to give your opponents the chance to beat you. I know my players well, I know they understand and analyse what they are doing wrong and I'm confident that we will resolve our issues together. I would like to see enthusiasm from the team, despite the recent results. We will also need to be very focused. They are very strong mentally and difficult to play against.
Şenol Güneş, Beşiktaş coach
Napoli are the strongest team in the group, they won both their games and they play very good football. But we are here to play a great game as well. I thank Sarri for all the nice words he said about us. It’s true that we could have won our last game [against Dynamo] but we were not lucky enough.
Weekend results
Napoli 1-3 Roma (Koulibaly 58; Džeko 43 54, Salah 85)
Napoli lost ground at the Serie A summit with a rare home defeat; they had won their previous ten games in all competitions at the Stadio San Paolo.
Kayserispor 0-1 Beşiktaş (Ömer Şişmanoğlu 67)
Beşiktaş are now ten matches unbeaten in regulation time this season and have scored in each of their last 22 outings.
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
Napoli: LLWWDW
Beşiktaş: WWDDWD
Reporter's view: Paolo Menicucci (@UEFAcomPaoloM)
Considering their home record in Europe and the teams that have lost at the Stadio San Paolo in recent years – not to mention Benfica on matchday two – Napoli are certainly capable of earning a third straight B win. The Partenopei, however, are still coming to terms with Arkadiusz Milik's long-term injury and suffered defeat by Roma at the weekend. Make no mistake: Beşiktaş have sufficient talent to rub salt into Napoli's wounds if Sarri's men do not dust themselves down quickly enough.
Did you know?
Beşiktaş have yet to win in how many European games against Italian sides? Find out more in our extensive match background.