Napoli, The Team to Fear for Madrid

With Madrid in full control during the second half, and Liverpool knowing a comeback was beyond them, minds at the Bernabeu and elsewhere wandered to who Madrid might get in Friday’s quarter-final draw.

There is the possibility of rematches against two English teams they dramatically defeated in last season’s knockout phase, and maybe Madrid might prefer not to face Chelsea or, especially, Manchester City teams bent on revenge.

Bayern Munich are historically seen as an ‘ogre’ in the Spanish capital, but recently Madrid have had the better of their frequent Champions League meetings. None of Benfica, AC Milan or Inter Milan are likely to cause the European Cup holders too many worries.

The most interesting might be Napoli, who could give Madrid a huge challenge. It is not difficult to imagine a situation where the runaway Serie A leaders’ in-form attacking duo of Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia put their side well ahead in a first leg in Naples.

That would give Ancelotti, who spent a year-and-a-half as Napoli coach from the summer of 2018 – and his side yet another opportunity to turn a tie around in their usual dramatic fashion.

Source: THE ATHLETIC