Napoli 1 vs 1 Real Madrid
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87′Napoli play their way through a congested midfield third, before Mertens cuts in from the left-hand side and runs into traffic. The hosts maintain their pressure on the flank, but Carvajal comes across well to put the ball into touch. Real Madrid are making it look easy at this point, with Isco drifting into pockets of space dangerously.
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85′Napoli just haven’t got the same swagger and zip to their play, with Real Madrid just about getting going. It is the away side who are winning the second balls and battling for possession now, it appears that the hosts are simply willing to wait for the final whistle to arrive.
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83′Chance for Carvajal! The Real Madrid right-back marauds forward and gets to a dropping ball ahead of Diawara, but the Spaniard can only then bounce a terribly hit half-volley onto the turf and over the crossbar.
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82′We’re into the final 10 minutes in Naples, with Real Madrid going on the offensive. Lucas Vazquez finds Morata a the back post for the visitors, who then picks out Isco. The ex-Malaga midfielder opts to slow the game down and play backwards, with Zidane’s men exuding confidence.
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80′SubstitutionLuka ModrićFrancisco Román Alarcón Suárez
Modric is the next man to be given a rest with a glance to the weekend, with Isco replacing him in midfield. -
79′Ronaldo sees a shot blocked! The Portugal international is found in space at the back post by a crossfield ball, but a half-volley from the Real Madrid forward richochets off Koulibaly and wide of the target to Morata. The substitute takes aim, but can only bundle a shot off a defender and behind. The set-piece is whipped into the box but easily cleared. The tempo of this game isn’t quite what it was.
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77′SubstitutionKarim BenzemaÁlvaro Borja Morata Martín
Morata comes into the game for Benzema, and should be nice and fresh after missing out on Real Madrid’s recent visit to Eibar due to suspension. -
77′Both coaches have looked to their benches to rest players who probably need to be fully fit for their respective weekend matches, which says everything about this contest. Sergio Ramos’ brace has killed off the contest, with Sarri having to instead think about more realistic victories.
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75′SubstitutionMarek HamšíkPiotr Zieliński
Hamsik, who has faded since the start of the second half, is replaced by Zielinski. -
75′Benzema is picked out on the move into the Napoli box, but Reina is quick off his line to race out and gobble up the loose ball. Real Madrid are still keen to get forward, but only as a means to give their back four some respite following a tough opening 50 minutes or so.
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73′Mertens manages to earn a corner from Carvajal on the left-hand side, which is whipped in by Callejon. Navas comes out to punch halfway clear, with Albiol happy to let the ball run entirely out of play. It all looks to be a little too late for Napoli, who aren’t making much headway in this second half.
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71′Real Madrid are happy to slow things down and waste time whenever they can, as this contest is theirs for the taking now. Napoli threaten down the right, but an eventual switch of play towards Mertens is cut out nicely by Callejon. The visitors go on the counter as a result, but Lucas Vazquez loses possession quickly.
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70′SubstitutionLorenzo InsigneArkadiusz Milik
Milik is given the chance to make an impact in the late stages of this contest, with Insigne coming off. Mertens should probably drift out to the left flank as a result. -
68′SubstitutionGareth Frank BaleLucas Vázquez Iglesias
Bale is given a rest for the last 20 minutes or so, with Lucas Vazquez deployed out on the right-hand side for Real Madrid. -
67′Good pressure from Navas! Mertens races into space on the counter-attack for the hosts, before bustling his way into the penalty box. The ex-Levante goalkeeper narrows the angle and makes it tough for the Belgian to shoot, with Bale also tracking back well from the right wing. Napoli then win themselves a corner, but the hosts are penalised for more pushing in the area.
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65′Napoli are continuing to see a lot of the ball and work possession from flank to flank, but Navas hasn’t had much to do since the restart at all. Rog tries his luck from the edge of the penalty area for the hosts, but the substitute shoots a long way over the crossbar!
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63′Zidane is patrolling his technical area with the same expression as when Napoli were 1-0 in the lead, he really isn’t giving anything away. Ronaldo races down the right for Real Madrid, before believing that he has won a corner from Koulibaly, but the linesman isn’t interested. Reina gets the ball rolling as soon as he can.
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61′Less than half an hour remains for Napoli to pull off what would be an unbelievable comeback now, they’d need four to go through at this point. Real Madrid are now happy to slow things down, pick up free-kicks where they can, and make the rest of this game very painful viewing for what had previously been a boisterous Napoli crowd.
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59′The atmosphere has been considerably dimmed by those two huge goals from Sergio Ramos, with Real Madrid now having some comfort in this hostile atmosphere. The noise has gone, everything has been deflated, with two dead-ball situations seeming to hammer the nails into their Champions League coffin.
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57′Assist Toni Kroos
Kroos gets his second corner assist of the evening. -
57′Goal Sergio Ramos García
GOOOOOOOOAL! SERGIO RAMOS SCORES AGAIN! The Spain international gets up well again to challenge for a corner, and manages to nod home with the aid of a rather wicked deflection. Real Madrid are flying again out of nowhere!
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56′SubstitutionAllan Marques LoureiroMarko Rog
Allan takes his leave, with Rog coming in to freshen up the midfield. -
55′Yellow Card Allan Marques Loureiro
Allan is booked for coming in late on Casemiro, though the Real Madrid midfielder made a huge meal of very little. -
55′The hosts try and link up with some one-touch interplay inside the opposition half, but Sergio Ramos is the next Real Madrid defender to telepath the danger and make an interception. The home crowd have lost a bit of confidence, and voice, but two goals aren’t beyond them.
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53′Mertens tries to lead the charge for Napoli on his own, but Pepe steps out of the visiting back four brilliantly to rob the Belgium international of possession. The home side’s belief might have just taken a knock, but they’ve still got goals in them. It just so happens that now they will need two in order to tie this one up.
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51′Assist Toni Kroos
Kroos curls in a wonderful inswinging corner delivery which Ramos attacks well. -
51′Goal Sergio Ramos García
GOOOOOOOOAL! REAL MADRID HAVE THEIR AWAY GOAL! Sergio Ramos is picked out by a corner delivery from the left-hand side, with the visiting captain rising majestically to thump home a close-range header. That is a huge blow to the hosts’ come-back hopes. -
50′The home side are still trying to move the ball at pace and utilise their highly mobile front three, with Real Madrid having little option but to sit back and play it safe. Mertens tries to cut in from the right this time, but Marcelo denies him. The visitors just aren’t attacking at the kind of pace that can trouble Koulibaly and company.
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48′Into the side netting from Benzema! The French striker is picked out on the right-hand side, despite being clearly offside, but can only chop onto his right foot and then pummel a low drive wide of the target. Reina is fuming with the linesman there. Napoli respond with a quick counter, but Marcelo covers across to defuse the danger and concede a corner – which comes to nothing.
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46′We are underway in the second half at Stadio San Paolo! As it stands, Real Madrid are going through on aggregate, but one Napoli strike would change that entirely. Zidane’s men need an away goal to ease their nerves, and fast.
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HALF-TIME! Napoli have a 1-0 lead heading into the interval, courtesy of a neat finish from Mertens, leaving this tie in a very interesting position. The Belgian and Ronaldo have also hit the post this evening, with Zidane’s side having a lot of work to do if they are to salvage this one. The hosts have dominate play and the chances, leaving them just a goal shy of going into the next round.
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45’+1′There is one minute of second-half stoppage time.
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HALF-TIME! Napoli have a 1-0 lead heading into the interval, courtesy of a neat finish from Mertens, leaving this tie in a very interesting position. The Belgian and Ronaldo have also hit the post this evening, with Zidane’s side having a lot of work to do if they are to salvage this one. The hosts have dominate play and the chances, leaving them just a goal shy of going into the next round.
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45’+1′There is one minute of second-half stoppage time.
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45′Marcelo and Benzema combine down the left-hand side, before Diawara comes across to cover and put the ball behind for a Real Madrid corner. Reina punches the set-piece delivery clear, as Napoli continue to look fairly solid defensively. Carvajal, worryingly, goes down painfully near the touchline and doesn’t look comfortable at all.
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43′Reina volleys a clearance high upfield, after a poor defensive header looked to put Napoli in trouble. Ghoulam headed high into the air, with Bale nipping at his heels, forcing the Napoli goalkeeper to race out and pump clear. With only a few minutes remaining until the interval, things are looking very positive for the Partenopei.
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41′Sergio Ramos is forced to make a hurried clearance within his own penalty area, which results in Napoli coming straight back at them and Hamsik forcing a near-post save out of Navas. Real Madrid just can’t seem to get a foothold in this contest at all. Yet again, the hosts get forward, with Allan pushing on, but Mertens is then penalised for shoving Pepe off the ball in his attempts to get in behind the opposition back four.
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39′Wide from Hamsik! The Slovakian midfielder carries the ball forward powerfully and approaches the penalty area with intent, but Pepe puts just enough pressure on to unsettle the Napoli man. He lines up a shot, but drives the ball both high and wide of the target. The hosts are still threatening regularly.
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37′Insigne goes on a mazy dribble down the left-hand side and manages to win a free-kick right out on the touchline, but Napoli go short rather than gamble on a ball into the box. Allan stabs a fortuitous ball forwards for the hosts, but Mertens can only race onto it and curl the ball onto the outside of the post! So close!
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35′Napoli win themselves a corner out on the left-hand side, which allows for the hosts to load the box with bodies. Koulibaly rises well at the near post and heads goalwards, but the Senegalese defender’s effort sails over the target. There’s another goal still in this before the break.
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33′Allan brings down Modric cynically in the middle of the park, but the Brazilian midfielder is only given a warning for his trouble. Real Madrid are pressing just a little higher upfield now, after their original approach gifted Napoli the upper hand. Reina has been kept fairly busy, with it being Navas’ turn to have a breather.
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31′Casemiro balloons a terrible effort a long way over the crossbar, as Real Madrid continue to fire blanks at Stadio San Paolo. Ronaldo will be wondering how he didn’t manage to tie things up on the night, hitting the post in that situation is inexcusable. Napoli are just starting to lose momentum a little bit.
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30′Mertens dribbles his way down the left-hand side and attempts to skip beyond Pepe, but the Real Madrid centre-back makes a good challenge. The visitors respond with a break upfield, which sees Ronaldo race into the box! He shoots to the near side of Reina, after the Napoli goalkeeper was taken out by his own defender, and the ball cannons off the post with the goal gaping! He’ll be wondering how he missed that.
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28′Insigne dribbles his way into space on the edge of the box, but a low drive from the Italian is gathered up with ease by Navas. Real Madrid look a little bit stunned, here, as this atmosphere may well be an additional factor on an already tough evening for Los Blancos. It is incredibly hostile.
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26′The stadium has gone absolutely bonkers, with Napoli’s fans now baying for blood. The hosts now only need one goal of their own and a clean sheet to get into the next round of the Champions League. Real Madrid have got no choice now but to grab themselves an away goal to ease their nerves.
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24′Assist Marek Hamšík
Hamsik picks the right option and plays a well-weighted pass into the opposition penalty box. -
24′Goal Dries Mertens
GOOOOOOOOAL! MERTENS OPENS THE SCORING! Napoli play their way forward from midfield, before Hamsik stabs a neat and incisive pass in behind for the Belgian to chase. He scampers into the area and then fires a low finish across the goalkeeper and into the back of the net. Game on!
22′
Bale gets into the Napoli penalty area once again, but Koulibaly stands up the Wales international brilliantly. He uses his strength well to force the Real Madrid winger out to the flank, before shepherding the ball behind for a goal-kick. Great defending.
20′
It is all Napoli in these early stages, with Real Madrid struggling to mount anything more than fleeting counter-attacks. There haven’t been too many clear-cut chances to speak of, but the traffic has only been going in one direction. Sarri will want his side to continue with this urgency, they need a quick goal.
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18′Bale is causing the problems in the early stages for the visitors, but Hamsik is the man to track back this time and prevent the ex-Tottenham wide man from whipping in a cross. Napoli kick long immediately from the resulting goal-kick, but Mertens can’t get there first. Moments later, it is Bale who threatens again after taking a lofted pass down beautifully. He cuts inside Ghoulam and onto his left foot, but shoots tamely at the goalkeeper.
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17′Napoli continue to move the ball from right to left, and then back again, as they probe for an opening. Hamsik eventually tries his luck from range once again, but the Slovakia international drags a shot across goal and just wide of the right-hand post. Unlucky for the hosts, who continue to pile pressure onto their opponents.
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15′The hosts continue to draw upon the support from their fans, as Sarri’s men push forward with real intent. Real Madrid must be hoping that if they can close out the nervy early stages, everything will settle down. Bale drives down the right, before picking out Kroos on the edge of the box, but the Germany international can only lash a volleyed effort straight at Reina.
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13′Zidane appears happy to allow his side to sit deep and frustrate, but Napoli aren’t relenting at all. Navas is force to push the ball behind for a corner, after getting low down to his right-hand side to parry a shot from Insigne away from danger. Pepe nods the resulting set-piece clear, but the referee had already blown in Real Madrid’s favour for some jostling in the box.
11′
Sergio Ramos makes a vital interception on the edge of his own penalty area, as Callejon looked to burst beyond his compatriot. Real Madrid head up the other end and release Bale down the right, but the Welshman can only just about wriggle free of Ghoulam to deliver a cross. Benzema is the target of the eventual delivery, but it comes to nothing, with the Frenchman bumping into Ronaldo.
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10′The away side continue to dig in and not commit too many players forward, as Napoli have this game by the scruff of the neck already. Insigne finds Hamsik on the edge of the box, but the Slovakian midfielder opts to pass wide rather than shoot. Ronaldo tracks back to get an important foot in ahead of Allan. Eventually, Real Madrid hoof long to relieve the pressure.
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8′Napoli win a corner on the right-hand side, but Navas gets across to cover his near post well and punch the inswinging ball behind for a consecutive set-piece. The second corner is cleared by the first man. Sarri’s men are forcing the issue and trying to sneak the early goal that might swing this tie. Hamsik is picked out on the edge of the area, but shoots narrowly wide of the right-hand post.
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6′Napoli enjoy themselves a long spell of possession, with Zidane’s men having little option but to sit back and absorb a bit of early pressure. Koulibaly tries to play a quick throughball over the top towards Mertens, but the Belgian striker is caught narrowly offside. Real Madrid are yet to really string a dangerous move together.
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4′Close for Hamsik! The Slovakia international is picked out by a cut-back from the left-hand side, but slices at the air rather than hitting the target. Napoli keep their pressure on, but a cross from the opposite flank is punched away by Navas. Whenever the away side have possession, they are met with a torrent of jeers from the stands.
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2′Diawara feeds a pass forward to Mertens on the edge of the penalty box, before the Belgian spins and sees a shot deflected over the crossbar for a corner. The set-piece is taken short and then flung into the box, but Real Madrid clear their lines. The hosts are streaming forward and showing their intent from the off.
1′
We are underway in the first half in Naples! Napoli need to score early on to send Real Madrid reeling, but an away goal from Los Blancos could well settle this as a contest. The atmosphere is fantastic, and this should be a good one.
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Real Madrid substitutes: Nacho, James, Casilla, Lucas Vazquez, Morata, Isco, Danilo.
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Real Madrid starting line-up (4-3-3): Navas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Kroos, Casemiro, Modric; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo.
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Napoli substitutes: Rafael, Jorginho, Maggio, Maksimovic, Zielinski, Rog, Milik.
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Napoli starting line-up (4-3-3): Reina; Hysaj, Albiol, Koulibaly, Ghoulam; Allan, Diawara, Hamsik; Callejon, Mertens, Insigne.
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TEAM NEWS: Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo return to the fold for Real Madrid, after sitting out against Eibar at the weekend due to suspension and injury problems respectively. Karim Benzema leads the line, and netted two last time out. Toni Kroos, Casemiro and Luka Modric make up the expected midfield three, with Pepe chosen to partner Sergio Ramos at centre-back given Raphael Varane’s injury absence. Keylor Navas remains in goal, despite some errors of late.
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TEAM NEWS: The back four is as expected for Napoli, with former Real Madrid defender Raul Albiol partnered by Kalidou Koulibaly at centre-back. Allan is given a start in midfield over Piotr Zielinski, with Amadou Diawara playing in the holding role. Lorenzo Insigne, Dries Mertens and ex-Los Blancos wide man Jose Callejon make up a formidable front three, with Arek Milik able to make an impact off the bench if required.
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Real Madrid have lost just three competitive away games since last April, but Napoli boast a home record that sports just one defeat in their last 13 matches at Stadio San Paolo. As fans have been filling up this stadium since the mid-afternoon, there is bound to be a brilliant atmosphere, with Zinedine Zidane’s men needing to be switched on after struggling lately against the likes of Valencia, Villarreal and Las Palmas in LaLiga.
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Hello and welcome to live coverage of the second leg of Napoli’s Champions League knock-out tie against Real Madrid, with the away side travelling to Naples off the back of a 3-1 victory at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. Maurizio Sarri’s men gave a good account of themselves in Spain, regardless of the negative comments made by his club president, and will be high on confidence after beating Roma 2-1 away from home in Serie A last weekend.