Serie A side Napoli face a decisive European test when they travel to Denmark to take on Copenhagen tonight at Parken Stadium, in the penultimate round of the league phase of the UEFA Champions League.
The match carries huge significance for both teams as they battle to avoid elimination.
Both sides head into the encounter level on seven points, just one point clear of the elimination places, giving the match added competitive intensity as each team looks to secure a spot among the top 24 clubs that qualify for the playoff round.
Napoli have endured an inconsistent Champions League campaign so far.
The Italian champions suffered heavy defeats against Manchester City and PSV Eindhoven, including a crushing 6–2 loss, before regaining some balance with a victory over Qarabag and a draw against Eintracht Frankfurt.
However, a recent 2–0 defeat to Benfica has raised fresh concerns within the Napoli camp, leaving them at risk of an early exit if they fail to pick up results in the remaining two rounds.
Napoli’s struggles away from home have been particularly evident, as they have lost five consecutive Champions League matches on the road, conceding at least two goals in each game.
Despite their formidable form at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, where they have remained unbeaten in domestic and European competitions for more than a year, their away performances continue to be a clear weakness.
Napoli have also faced attacking issues in the competition, with goals coming only from Scott McTominay and Rasmus Højlund.
On the other hand, Copenhagen will be looking to make the most of home advantage and the backing of their supporters as they aim for their 50th European victory and boost their qualification hopes.
After a slow start, the Danish champions bounced back strongly with back-to-back 3–2 wins over Kairat and Villarreal, the latter a surprise away victory in Spain.
With both teams under pressure, tonight’s clash promises to be a tense and decisive battle in the race to progress in the Champions League.
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