- UEFA Champions League. Group A. Round 1
- Stadium: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona (Naples)
- 07.09.2022 22:00 (UTC+3)
Napoli will host English Liverpool in the first round of the UEFA Champions League group stage. The British have staff problems, and besides, the previous head-to-head encounters between the Reds and the Blues did not end in favor of Liverpool. Despite everything, bookmakers are siding with the guests. They believe the Merseyside team has a good chance of getting the first three points in the tournament.
Napoli
There have been five rounds played in Serie A, and Napoli hasn't lost a single game in this period. On the road, the Parthenopeans were stronger than Verona and Lazio, drawing with Fiorentina. At home, the Blues thrashed Monza (4-0) and played a 1-1 draw with Lecce. Eleven points allow Napoli to be at the top of the Italian championship standings. Other than matches in Serie A, the Neapolitans have not played any other official fixtures this season.
Bet on X for 3.80 at Bet365Liverpool
The Reds have already managed to win one trophy in the 2022/23 season, the English Super Cup, beating reigning EPL champion Manchester City. Unlike Italy, the English top flight has played six rounds, with the Merseysiders picking up nine points. An away defeat at the hands of Manchester United, draws with Fulham, Crystal Palace, and Everton, and victories over Bournemouth and Newcastle. The results are mediocre, to say the least, which means we should not be surprised by Liverpool's mere seventh place in the EPL table and a six-point gap behind the leading Arsenal. Like Napoli, Liverpool has yet to appear on the international stage this season.
Head-to-head encounters
Napoli and Liverpool have played each other eight times, four in the Champions League, two in the Europa League, and twice in friendlies. It is noteworthy that the first encounter happened in 2010. In general, there is parity: three wins for each team and two draws. In the Champions League, Napoli has a narrow advantage of +2=1-1. In the 2019/20 season, Napoli and Liverpool crossed paths in the Champions League group stage: 2-0 in Naples and 1-1 in Liverpool.
Expert Betting Tips
Liverpool is clearly superior to the Neapolitan team in terms of squad and capabilities. However, the Reds were not impressive at the start of the season, achieving only two home victories over an EPL middling and an outsider, failing to beat Fulham, Crystal Palace, and Everton, and losing to Man United. Napoli, on the other hand, had a powerful start to the current Serie A campaign, being among the leaders, with away victories over Verona and Lazio. In addition, Napoli is not afraid of Liverpool, as we can see from the previous head-to-head stats. We believe that the future home team is underestimated, and Napoli has more chances to earn points than bookmakers seem to think. We expect one of the centerpieces in the UEFA Champions League group stage opening round to end in a draw. Here are the betting options for the upcoming game:
- 1X for 1.875 at 1xBet;
- X for 3.80 at Bet365;
- Correct Score 1-1 for 7.00 at 22bet.
