Champions League preview: Chelsea vs Real Madrid, Napoli vs AC Milan
Chelsea vs Real Madrid
Chelsea scored a goal on Saturday, which functions simultaneously as a measure of progress, and also of how the club’s fortunes have nosedived recently.
It’s the first goal the Blues have scored in five matches – and the visiting Brighton fought back deservedly to win 2-1 anyway. Which means it’s now six games without victory for the West London club.
Before the Brighton defeat, Frank Lampard had overseen a 2-0 away loss to Real Madrid. Now the new coach gets a second bite at that cherry, having attempted to raise spirits in the aftermath of defeat with the claim that “special things can happen at Stamford Bridge”. Would Real Madrid gubbing the hosts count as a special thing?
Taking an upbeat view, coming back from a 2-0 scoreline, even against Real, is not impossible. And Chelsea have the talent – too much effin’ talent – to mean this game is a lost cause for the hosts.
It’s difficult to believe a Premier League team so out of sorts can turn things around against a club that makes such a habit of winning this competition, though.
In the previous round, Real journeyed to Anfield and found themselves two goals down after 14 minutes. The game ended 5-2 in Real’s favour. Even if things click for Lampard’s side this week, it’s no guarantee that the visitors can be overcome.
Last season, these two sides met; on that occasion, Chelsea lost the opening leg 3-1 at Stamford Bridge, and fought valiantly in the return leg at the Bernabeu, winning 3-2 on the night (though still exiting the competition). Does this Chelsea side have it in them to at least produce a similar effort?
Hope springs eternal. Maybe this will be a tussle for the ages, an object lesson in the unknowable. More practically though, there has to be a very good chance that Real’s Karim Benzema will mark his 150th appearance in this competition with a goal.
The Frenchman has four goals in his last three CL appearances, and is 21/20 to score on Tuesday. You could also combine Benzema to score and Real to win in a double at 2/1.
Napoli vs AC Milan
After playing wonderfully all season, Napoli have hit a dry spell, with just one win in their last four in all comps. After Milan beat them 1-0 last week in the Champions League, they were held to a goalless draw against Verona at the weekend. Even the return of Osimhen, albeit from the sub’s bench, couldn’t inspire Luca Spalletti’s side to win.
Will he play a more significant role on Tuesday at the Maradona stadium? Despite their goal advantage, Milan aren’t pulling up trees themselves; in their last eight games in all competitions, the only side they’ve beaten is the league’s best team, Napoli. Twice.
Third time’s the charm? If it slipped your mind, Milan won 4-0 when these sides met here in Serie A at the start of April.
And history would appear to be on the Rossoneri’s side. Milan have progressed in 38 of the 44 UEFA ties in which they won the first leg. Stefano Pioli’s side are adept at keeping clean sheets, too; they’ve not conceded a goal in this competition in their last five matches.
So is the jig up for the hosts? The omens clearly aren’t all that auspicious. But the good news for Napoli is that in his cameo appearance at the weekend, Osimhen still managed to rattle the crossbar.
Without doubt, he seems the likeliest candidate to turn things round for Napoli on Tuesday. In his last Champions League appearance against Eintracht Frankfurt, the Nigerian scored a brace. Milan may not be so obliging – but Vic could still prove too slick. Osimhen is 14/5 to score the opener.
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