Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Napoli preview: Team news and predicted lineups
Here is our preview, including predicted lineups, for Tuesday's Champions League round of 16 first-leg clash between Eintracht Frankfurt and SSC Napoli.
| Kevin Trapp. | Photo: Sven Mandel, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 |
With the exception of their 3-0 defeat against FC Köln on February 12, Oliver Glasner's team have been in impressive form in 2023 and are coming off a comfortable 2-0 victory over Werder Bremen.
Napoli, however, are in even better domestic form, having won their last seven Serie A games. With a 15-point cushion down to Inter at the top of the table, 'Gli Azzurri' are closing in on their first league title since the 1989/90 season.
Eintracht coach Oliver Glasner is wary of the task that awaits.
"Napoli don't play like an Italian team. They play with the most intensity by some distance, they're aggressive without the ball and counter-press with incredible intensity. We're aware of that and we’ve prepared for it," he said at the pre-match press conference.
Napoli coach Luciano Spaletti showed similar respect for Eintracht.
"Eintracht are a good team who hold their shape well. We know we have a good chance, but so do they," he noted.
Fortunately for Glasner, he almost has a full squad at his disposal, with Junior Dina Ebimbe (ankle) the only absence. Kristijan Jakic and Makoto Hasebe are competing for a place in central defense, while Ansgar Knauff and Aurelio Buta are in contention for the right wing-back spot. The rest of the Eintracht lineup looks settled.
Spaletti has no injury worries to contend with.
Check out our predicted lineups here.