Real Madrid vs Napoli facts

Already through to the UEFA Champions League round of 16, Real Madrid will look to wrap up first place in Group C as they welcome Napoli, who are five points behind their hosts.

The 14-time winners have been victorious in all four games in this season's competition – including a 3-2 victory in Naples on Matchday 2 – and sealed progress with two games to spare thanks to a 3-0 home victory against Braga last time out.

Napoli – who have reappointed Walter Mazzarri as coach since Matchday 4 – are second on seven points, three more than third-placed Braga, who they face in Italy on Matchday 6, and visit the Santiago Bernabéu looking for their first win against Madrid at the sixth attempt.

Previous meetings 

Real Madrid wins 4
Napoli wins 0
Draws 1
Real Madrid goals 12
Napoli goals 5

Despite Madrid eventually emerging victorious it was the home side who struck first in Naples on Matchday 2, Leo Østigård giving them a 19th-minute lead that was cancelled out eight minutes later by Vinícius Júnior. Jude Bellingham then put the visitors in front 11 minutes before half-time but a Piotr Zieliński penalty for Napoli levelled it at 2-2, only for a 78th-minute own goal from home goalkeeper Alex Meret to finally prove decisive.

Real Madrid have also won both knockout ties against Napoli, most recently in the 2016/17 Champions League round of 16 thanks to a 3-1 victory both home and away. Lorenzo Insigne gave Maurizio Sarri's visitors an eighth-minute lead in the first game at the Santiago Bernabéu but Karim Benzema quickly levelled (18) before strikes early in the second half from Toni Kroos (49) and Casemiro (54) put Zinédine Zidane's Madrid in charge of the tie.

Dries Mertens put that in jeopardy when he halved the home side's aggregate deficit in the 24th minute in Naples, but again Madrid did the damage early in the second period, Sergio Ramos (52) and a Mertens own goal (57) effectively ending the contest before substitute Álvaro Morata (90+1) wrapped up the win.

Leo Beenhakker's Madrid overcame Napoli 3-1 on aggregate in the sides' only other encounter, in the first round of the 1987/88 European Cup.

Madrid won the first leg 2-0 through goals from Míchel (penalty) and Miguel Tendillo, before earning a 1-1 draw at what was then known as the Stadio San Paolo, where Emilio Butragueño – today a club director – cancelled out Giovanni Francini's opening goal for a Napoli side coached by Ottavio Bianchi and captained by Diego Maradona.

Form guide

Real Madrid

Record vs Italian clubs: W44 D11 L26 F132 A96
Home record vs Italian clubs: W27 D3 L7

Madrid's previous fixtures against an Italian club before this season came in the 2021/22 group stage, when Rodrygo's 89th-minute strike earned a 1-0 win at Inter on Matchday 1 before a 2-0 success in Spain on Matchday 6 in which Kroos opened the scoring.

Matchday 2 made it nine successive wins against Serie A sides, home and away.

Madrid have won 14 of their last 15 games against Italian clubs, the exception a 3-1 home defeat by Juventus – who they had beaten 4-1 in the 2017 Champions League final in Cardiff – in the 2017/18 quarter-final second leg. Madrid nevertheless squeezed through having won 3-0 in Turin.

The 2-0 defeat of Inter in 2021 was Madrid's sixth win in their last seven home games against Italian visitors; they had scored three times in each of the previous three.

This is Madrid's 28th Champions League group stage campaign, a competition record they share with Barcelona. They last missed out in 1996/97.

Madrid have now qualified for the knockout rounds in all 28 campaigns.

Having claimed the club's 14th European Cup – and eighth Champions League, also a competition record – in 2021/22, Carlo Ancelotti's side then finished first in their Champions League section last season, winning four of their six games (D1 L1) before beating Liverpool in the round of 16 (5-2 a, 1-0 h). That set up a second successive quarter-final against Chelsea, Madrid winning 2-0 home and away, before a repeat of their 2021/22 semi-final against Manchester City, which this time went in the English side's favour (1-1 h, 0-4 a).

That 4-0 loss in Manchester equalled Madrid's biggest European defeat.

The Spanish side have won 16 of their last 23 home European games (D3 L4) and 15 of the most recent 19 (D2 L2).

The Merengues ceded the Spanish title to Barcelona, finishing ten points behind their great rivals in the Liga standings.

Napoli

Record vs Spanish clubs: W6 D7 L10 F28 A34
Away record vs Spanish clubs: W3 D1 L7

Before Matchday 2 Napoli's previous fixtures against a club from Spain came in the 2021/22 UEFA Europa League knockout round play-offs, when they bowed out to Barcelona after a 4-2 second-leg defeat at home, the first game having finished 1-1.

That first-leg draw was only the second time Napoli have avoided defeat in their last seven games away to Spanish clubs (W1 D1).

A 2-1 win against Granada in the 2020/21 Europa League round of 32 second leg – a tie they lost 3-2 on aggregate – is one of only two victories in Napoli's last 15 matches against Liga sides, home and away (D5 L8).

This is Napoli's eighth Champions League group appearance overall, and a sixth in the past eight seasons.

The 2022/23 campaign proved to be the Italian side's most successful in their European Cup history, Napoli finishing top of Group A ahead of Liverpool, Ajax and Rangers and beating Europa League holders Eintracht Frankfurt in the round of 16 (2-0 a, 3-0 h). However, AC Milan ended their run in an all-Italian quarter-final (0-1 a, 1-1 h).

Last season was the first time Napoli had won a Champions League knockout tie, at the fourth attempt.

Napoli have won five of their last 11 away European matches, losing three including two of the last four.

Napoli have won eight of their last 11 Champions League group stage matches (D1 L2).

The Partenopei captured their third Italian league title, and a first since 1990, last season, finishing 16 points clear at the top of Serie A.

Championship-winning coach Luciano Spalletti stepped down in the summer, Napoli naming former Roma coach Rudi Garcia as his replacement. They parted company with the Frenchman on 14 November, turning to Mazzarri – who had been in charge between 2009 and 2013 – on a contract until the end of the season.

Links and trivia

Ancelotti was in charge of Napoli between August 2018 and December 2019, guiding the club to a second-placed finish in Serie A in his sole full season in charge.

Ancelotti played for Milan between 1987 and 1992, winning two Serie A titles and two European Cups. He then went on to manage Milan between 2001 and 2009, winning two Champions Leagues and one Serie A.

The Italian also played for Parma and Roma and coached Reggiana, Parma, Juventus and Napoli.

As a coach, Ancelotti has met Napoli on 13 occasions: four with each of Parma, Juventus and Milan and Matchday 2 with Madrid. His record in those matches is W10 D1 L2.

Antonio Rüdiger played for Roma between 2015 and 2017, the first season under recently departed Napoli coach Garcia.

Jesper Lindstrøm was in the Eintracht Frankfurt side beaten 2-0 by Madrid in the 2022 UEFA Super Cup in Helsinki. David Alaba scored the first goal while Vinícius Júnior provided the assist for the second.

Napoli goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini was in the Atalanta side beaten 1-0 at home by Madrid in the 2020/21 Champions League round of 16. Ferland Mendy scored the only goal of the game from a Luka Modrić pass.

Has also played in Italy:
Brahim Díaz (Milan 2020–23)

Díaz played Napoli in last season's Champions League quarter-finals with Milan. His team won 1-0 in Milan and drew 1-1 in Naples.

Have played in Spain:
Stanislav Lobotka (Celta Vigo 2017–20)
André-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Villarreal 2019/20 loan)
Mathías Olivera (Getafe 2017–22, Albacete 2018/19 loan)

Have played together:
Antonio Rüdiger & Mário Rui, Juan Jesus (Roma 2016/17)

International team-mates:
Federico Valverde & Mathías Olivera (Uruguay)

Dani Carvajal and Fran García played 90 minutes and Joselu was a late substitute as Spain won 1-0 away to Østigård's Norway in Oslo on 15 October to qualify for UEFA EURO 2024.

Bellingham was fouled by Giovanni Di Lorenzo to win a penalty for England's first goal in a 3-1 win against Italy at Wembley on 17 October. Bellingham also set up the second goal as England qualified for next summer's finals while Giacomo Raspadori came on late on for the visitors.

Latest news

Real Madrid

Real Madrid have won 15 of their 18 games in all competitions this season (D2 L1), scoring 40 goals and conceding only 12.

They were 3-0 winners at Cádiz on Sunday thanks to two Rodrygo goals and another from Jude Bellingham.

Rodrygo has scored in his last three Madrid appearances, five goals in all.

Bellingham has 14 goals in 15 games in all competitions since his arrival this summer, 11 in La Liga and three in the Champions League.

Carlo Ancelotti's side beat Valencia 5-1 on 11 November thanks to two goals each from Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo and one from Dani Carvajal.

Luka Modrić made his 500th Madrid appearance in a 2-1 win at Barcelona on 28 October.

The match also marked Vinícius Júnior's 150th win as a Real Madrid player in his 235th match; he scored 63 goals in those games.

Modrić captained Croatia to victories against Latvia on 18 November (2-0) and Armenia three days later (1-0) that secured qualification for UEFA EURO 2024.

Joselu scored Spain's third goal in a 3-1 EURO 2024 qualifying win in Cyprus on 16 November.

David Alaba set up Austria's second goal in a 2-0 EURO 2024 qualifying defeat of Estonia on 16 November, and also came on in the 2-0 friendly win at home to Germany on 21 November.

Antonio Rüdiger played the full match for Germany and also featured for 90 minutes in the 3-2 friendly defeat by Türkiye in Berlin three days earlier.

Bellingham suffered a dislocated shoulder in a 0-0 La Liga draw at home to Rayo Vallecano on 5 November. He was on the bench against Braga on Matchday 4 but did not come on and was also unavailable for England's November European Qualifiers but started for Madrid on Sunday.

Vinícius Júnior went off with a thigh injury in the first half of Brazil's 2-1 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat in Colombia on 16 November and is expected to be out for several weeks.

Eduardo Camavinga suffered a ruptured lateral ligament in his right knee during training with France on 16 November and will be sidelined for several months.

Aurélien Tchouaméni cracked a metatarsal in his left foot at Barcelona and has not played since.

Kepa Arrizabalaga has been out since 5 November with a hamstring injury.

Dani Ceballos came on on Sunday having not played since 7 October due to an injury to his quadriceps. That was only the Spanish midfielder's fifth appearance for Madrid this season, all of them as a substitute.

Arda Güler, who arrived at Real Madrid from Fenerbahçe this summer, injured his meniscus in pre-season and then picked up a muscle problem on 25 September. He is yet to make his debut for the club although he was an unused substitute on Sunday.

Éder Militão suffered a cruciate ligament tear in his left knee in a 2-0 win at Athletic Club on the opening weekend of the season on 12 August and is expected to be out for several months.

Thibaut Courtois ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during training in early August.

The 3-1 win at Almería on 19 August made Ancelotti the coach to have taken charge of the third most league games in Real Madrid's history. He overtook Vicente del Bosque (153), and is now on 166 games, behind only Zinédine Zidane (183) and Miguel Muñoz (424).

A 2-1 win at home to Real Sociedad on 17 September took Ancelotti above Zidane to move into second place on the all-time list of most Real Madrid wins as a coach, having overseen 173 victories. The Italian, now on 183 wins, is behind only Miguel Muñoz (357).

On 30 October Bellingham won the Kopa Trophy awarded at the Ballon d'Or Gala for the world's best Under-21 player. Camavinga finished fourth in the poll.

Vinícius Júnior finished sixth in the voting for the Ballon d'Or 2023, with Modrić in tenth place and Bellingham 18th.

On 17 November, Bellingham also won the Golden Boy Award 2023, which recognises the best Under-21 player at a European club. Arda Güler was also among the 25 finalists.

Modrić was seventh in the vote for UEFA Player of the Year 2022/23.

On 31 October Vinícius Júnior signed a new contract keeping him at Madrid until 2027. Rodrygo has agreed a new deal until 2028 while Camavinga and Federico Valverde have penned extensions until 2029.

Napoli

Napoli were 2-1 winners at Atalanta on Saturday thanks to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's first-half strike and a late winner from substitute Eljif Elmas.

Kvaratskhelia's goal was his fourth in three games for club and country; Elmas has two in his last three Serie A appearances.

On 12 November Napoli lost 1-0 at home against Empoli, a result which led to the departure of coach Rudi Garcia. He was replaced by Walter Mazzarri, who had been in charge between 2009 and 2013.

Napoli have lost three of their last five home games in Serie A, as many as in their previous 25 matches.

On 4 November Napoli were 2-0 winners at Salernitana thanks to Giacomo Raspadori scoring for the third successive game in all competitions – a career first – and a first club strike since 12 February from substitute Elmas.

That is Napoli's only other victory in five games in all competitions (D2 L1); they have won only four of the last nine (D2 L3).

On 29 October Raspadori scored the first goal in the current Serie A season from a direct free-kick in a 2-2 draw against Milan.

Matteo Politano has five goals in Serie A this term; he has scored more in a season only twice during his time in Serie A, registering ten with Sassuolo in 2017/18 and nine for Napoli in 2020/21.

Napoli have 24 points after 13 Serie A matches this season, 11 less than at the same stage of 2022/23.

The Partenopei will be at home to Frosinone in the last 16 of the Coppa Italia on 19 December.

Victor Osimhen returned as a substitute on Saturday having not played since 13 October after suffering a thigh injury on international duty with Nigeria.

Juan Jesus also came on on Saturday having been sidelined by a hamstring injury since Matchday 1.

Piotr Zieliński had to withdraw from the Poland squad for the November internationals due to tonsillitis but recovered to start for Napoli on Saturday.

Mathías Olivera was carried off on a stretched shortly before half-time on Saturday having injured his left knee.

Jesper Lindstrøm missed the weekend win with a shin problem.

Mário Rui suffered a thigh injury against Empoli and is expected to be out for at least a month.

Goalkeeper Alex Meret suffered a calf injury ahead of the game against Empoli and has not played since; he was an unused substitute on Saturday.

Raspadori scored in Italy's 5-2 UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying win against North Macedonia on 17 November and also started the 0-0 draw away to Ukraine three days later that secured a finals place.

On 30 October Osimhen finished eighth in the vote for the Ballon d'Or with Kvaratskhelia 17th.