Kick-off: 2000, 18/04/2023
Stadium: Diego Armando Maradona Stadium
TV: BT Sport
Napoli have work to do after losing 1-0 to AC Milan at the San Siro in this all-Italian Champions League quarter-final clash.
However, Gli Azzurri were the better team for large parts of that opening leg and will have star striker Victor Osimhen available this time.
We like 11/10 for Luciano Spalletti’s side to still qualify for our first Napoli vs AC Milan prediction.
Osimhen crucial for Napoli
Napoli should have gone ahead in the very first minute last week, but Khvicha Kvaratskhelia saw his close-range shot cleared off the line.
Franck Zambo-Anguissa had an effort tipped over the bar and Milan keeper Mike Maignan also denied Piotr Zielinski.
The Rossoneri then broke the deadlock on 40 minutes when Ismael Bennacer blasted home on the counter-attack.
Simon Kjaer almost doubled the lead when heading against the bar from a corner soon after and Napoli’s hopes of a second-half comeback were rocked by Zambo-Anguissa’s harsh red card.
Maignan still had to pull off another superb save to keep out Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s late shot, though.
“We had a great attitude and I want to congratulate my players for their performance,” declared Spalletti.
“Sometimes things go well, other times they don’t. Of course, Osimhen might have had more chances than someone who is less used to playing in that position.”
Osimhen is seven goals clear at the top of the Serie A scoring charts with 21 and is one of four Napoli players with four goals in this competition.
He returned from injury with a late cameo in Saturday’s draw with Verona and appeals at 16/5 to strike first from the Napoli vs AC Milan odds.
Rossoneri have history on their side
Of course, seven-time European champions Milan are past masters at coming through tests like this.
The Rossoneri certainly have history on their side, having won 38 of 44 UEFA ties after securing a first-leg advantage on home turf.
Stefano Pioli’s side have kept five consecutive clean sheets in the Champions League this term and recently won 4-0 away to Napoli in Serie A.
“There is still a 50 per cent chance to progress,” commented Pioli. “We have another finely-balanced game to look forward to.”
Milan will hope excellent shot-stopper Maignan can help them to repeat their triumph over Tottenham in the last round.
They also won the opening encounter 1-0 at the San Siro on that occasion, before drawing 0-0 in London.
However, we can’t forget a 3-0 drubbing by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge during the group stage.
The Rossoneri were also thumped by the same scoreline when facing city rivals Inter in the Italian Super Cup on neutral territory in January.
Let’s finish off our Napoli vs AC Milan betting tips by taking 2/1 for the hosts to prevail by more than one clear goal in normal time, along with 22/1 for Osimhen to score first and 2-0.
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