Champions League: Can Napoli Tame Red Bull’s Beast?

Red Bull Salzburg vs Napoli

Napoli hope to get a firm grip of Champions League Group E on Wednesday, but the Serie A side knows it is in for a real battle.

Red Bull will be backed by a passionate crowd at the Salzburg Arena and they will roar as one when their young hero Erling Braut Haaland takes to the pitch. The 19-year-old striker is ripping up the Austrian Bundesliga and grabbed all the early Champions League 2019 news headlines with a hat-trick in Red Bull’s opening fixture against Genk.

Napoli head coach Carlo Ancelotti is one of the best in the business, and he’ll have a plan to thwart the Red Bull threat, as well as plotting a way to cut through the hosts’ defence.

It’s a fascinating clash and one which is sure to provide plenty of entertainment.

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Talking Points

Is Haaland the new Ibrahimovic?

Head coach Jesse Marsch has Red Bull playing with attacking freedom and his players have responded with gusto, hitting over four goals a game as they lead the Austrian Bundesliga with a record of nine wins and two draws and a goal difference of +37.

Of course, one young forward’s name is on everybody’s lips and is already attracting attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Haaland is a beast of a striker, plundering 19 goals in 16 appearances in all competitions. And there are rumours Manchester United could be preparing a bid to bring him to Old Trafford.

His dad played in the Premier League with distinction. Erling is the son of Alfie Haaland who operated as a defender for Manchester City and Leeds United, and Erling was born in Yorkshire at that time.

Since beginning his own career at Molde, his development has been spectacular, growing to an imposing 6 ft 4 inches, and he has the confidence and swagger that has already led to comparisons with the great Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

His hat-trick against Genk on his Champions League debut was a feat not achieved since Wayne Rooney did the same in 2004. Haaland started on the bench in the 4-3 defeat to Liverpool, a brave decision by Marsch and one which seemed to backfire as Liverpool stormed into a lead. But he came on in the second half and gave the Reds an almighty scare in a game in which SBOBET Champions League fans saw a glimpse of vulnerability in Liverpool, which Napoli had already exploited.

Haaland has four European goals already and will be desperate to add to that against the Italians, and that is a quest well worth watching!

Napoli’s undoubted quality

Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli started their European campaign in fine style, beating reigning champions Liverpool at the San Paolo, and they are at odds of 2.45 to win the group.

Gli Azzurri have made a steady start to their domestic campaign, sitting in fourth place in Serie A with 16 points from eight games. Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik scored a brace in a 2-0 victory over Hellas Verona on Saturday.

Can Arkadiusz Milik score in the Champions League for Napoli? — Arkadiusz Milik celebrates after scoring for Napoli during their 2-0 win against Hellas Verona in Serie A

The experienced centre-back pairing of Kostas Manolas and Kalidou Koulibaly will be ready for the threat of Haaland, and Ancelotti has quality running right through his squad.

Spanish winger Jose Callejon is a good outlet in attack, with Belgian Dries Mertens in superb form with four goals in the Italian league and one in the Champions League.

Meanwhile, captain Lorenzo Insigne seems to get better year on year, pulling the strings for his team, and often the man ready to provide a piece of match-winning magic.

History

Red Bull and Napoli met last season in the Europa League Round of 16. The Serie A side took charge of the tie with a 3-0 win in Naples, but after conceding early in the return fixture Red Bull roared back and nearly caught the Italians, winning their home tie 3-1.

Recent form has been good in both camps. Napoli are unbeaten in four matches while Salzburg are on a home winning streak of seven, so something is going to give!

Betting Tip

	Red Bull Salzburg vs Napoli	2-3 goals @ 2.17
	October 24, 03:00 (GMT+8)

The latest Red Bull Salzburg vs Napoli betting odds have the visitors as slight favourites, but all three results are well in play.

Napoli are available at odds of 2.49 to win, while the hosts are at 2.71 and the draw is 3.55.

In terms of result, a point each is as likely as anything, and I’m going to predict a tight game but not a goal-fest, on the assumption that Koulibaly will get the measure of Haaland.

It’s a tight call with 4-6 goals at 2.37 and over 3.00 goals at 1.69, but the Italians know how to defend!