Napoli vs Milan Champions League quarter-final preview: Where to watch, kick-off time, starting line-ups
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
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When is it? How can you watch it? What are the starting line-ups? All you need to know about the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg between Napoli and Milan.
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Napoli and Milan meet in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg on Tuesday 18 April.
Napoli vs Milan at a glance
When: Tuesday 18 April (21:00 CET kick-off)
Where: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples
What: UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg
How it stands: First leg 0-1
How to follow: Build-up and live coverage can be found here
Winners face Benfica or Inter in the semi-finals, playing the home leg first
Where to watch Napoli vs Milan on TV
Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here.
What do you need to know?
Ismaël Bennacer's thumping finish gave the Rossoneri a slender lead to take to Naples, where they won 4-0 in Serie A at the start of this month. Napoli's task in the return will be made harder by André-Frank Zambo Anguissa's suspension after being sent off in the first leg, but the possible return of prolific striker Victor Osimhen will give them a huge boost as they eye a first ever appearance in the semi-finals.
Starting line-ups
Napoli: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Juan Jesús, Mário Rui; Zieliński, Lobotka, Ndombélé; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia
Suspended: Kim, Zambo Anguissa
Misses next match if booked: Juan Jesus, Politano, Rrahmani
Milan: Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Kjaer, Hernández; Bennacer, Tonali; Leao, Krunić, Brahim Díaz; Giroud
Misses next match if booked: Ballo, Calabria, Krunić, Tomori, Tonali
Form guide
Napoli
Form (all competitions, most recent first): DLWLWW
Where they stand: 1st in Serie A
Milan
Form (all competitions, most recent first): DWDWLD
Where they stand: 4th in Serie A
Expert predictions
Vieri Capretta, Napoli reporter
Napoli were unlucky in the first leg but managed to keep the tie open. Had Osimhen been available, the feeling is it would have been a different game. The Nigerian is back now and, with the home crowd on their side, Luciano Spalletti's men are ready to turn things around and continue their Champions League journey.
Paolo Menicucci, Milan reporter
Milan have already defeated Napoli twice this month, but Stefano Pioli is fully aware that facing the Partenopei with Osimhen leading the attack is a different task altogether. The Milan coach had a few brilliant tactical ideas in the two recent fixtures against Napoli, particularly using Ismaël Bennacer as a 'false' attacking midfielder to mark Napoli's deep-lying playmaker Stanislav Lobotka. Does he have another ace up his sleeve to reach the semi-finals?
What the coaches say
Luciano Spalletti, Napoli coach: "We are working on the details and on what happened on the pitch [in the first leg]. There are always things to fix. Milan have engine and technique. Their goalkeeper is also a defensive playmaker. Details and attention must be taken care of. It's what will put us in a position to be better than them."
Stefano Pioli, Milan coach: "It would be a mistake to think about defending because we have a minimal advantage. They have scored an average of three or four goals a game this year. We have to play our game, playing well as a team and managing the ball well. In previous games, each team put the opposition's defence in difficulty. The winner will be the one who makes the most of their opportunities."
Where is the 2023 Champions League final?
Istanbul's Atatürk Olympic Stadium will host the final on Saturday 10 June 2023.
The winners gain a place in the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League group stage, if they have not qualified via their domestic competition.