The 2016-17 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg continue on Wednesday when Real Madrid hosts Napoli at the Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid has had a rough start to 2017 but they are still the defending champions.
Where to Watch Real Madrid vs. Napoli
The Real Madrid vs. Napoli match will be on Wednesday, February 15 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain. The match kicks off at 1:45 p.m. EST and 7:45 p.m. BST.
Real Madrid vs. Napoli is going to be shown live on FOX Sports 2 and ESPN Deportes in the United States, and BT Sport 3 in the United Kingdom. As for the live stream links, fans can watch the match via FOX Sports GO, WatchESPN and BT Sport App.
Real Madrid vs. Napoli Preview
Madrid was off to rough start in 2017 when they lost back-to-back games in mid-January. Los Blancos got back to their winning ways in their last two games. They defeated Osasuna 3-1 on Saturday to get the momentum they need this Wednesday, per Sky Sports.
However, Napoli is in great form and they have an 18-game unbeaten run in all competitions since losing to Juventus at the end of October 2016. The Light Blues are coming off a 2-0 win over Genoa last Friday and they are looking to get the advantage over the defining Champions League winners.
According to EuroCupsHistory, this is only the third match between Real Madrid and Napoli. The faced each other back in 1987 in the European Cup quarterfinals. Madrid won in the first leg and Napoli drew in the second.
Real Madrid vs. Napoli Possible Lineups and Predictions
Zinedine is expected to use his usual 4-3-3 tactic to form his strongest team possible. The starting lineup would have Keylor Navas, Marcelo, Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane and Dani Carvajal on defense. Toni Kroos, Casemiro and Luka Modric form the midfield while Cristiano Ronaldo, Lucas Vasquez and Karim Benzema are on the attack.
On the other hand, Napoli will likely use the same 4-3-3 tactic with Pepe Reina in between the post. Christian Maggio, Raul Albiol, Nikola Maksimovic and Faouzi Ghoulam forms the defense with Piotr Zielinski Amadou Diawara and Marek Hamsik in midfield. Arkadiusz Milik, Dries Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne lead the attack for the visitors.
As for the prediction for the Real Madrid vs. Napoli match, Los Blancos will have difficulty against the in-form Napoli. However, Zidane will get his men ready and get the close 2-1 win on Wednesday.
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