After a very poor start to the season and a second revolution, that of the dismissal of Walter Mazzarri just two days before the duel, Naples, an erupting volcano, will receive a Barcelona team that is also in low hours. For this match Xavi has recovered two more injured players: midfielder Sergi Roberto and forward João Félix.
However, the Terrassa coach repeats the same eleven that beat the Vigo team, with a single change in the rear axis, in which he would bet on the experience of Iñigo Martínez to the detriment of an inexperienced Pau Cubarsí as Ronald Araújo’s partner . The Uruguayan centre-back was substituted at half-time, in Balaídos, as a precaution after feeling some muscle discomfort, but he is fit to start. With this defense completed by Cancelo and Koundé on the sides and with Ter Stegen between the sticks, the average age of the defense is 28.2 years.
The FC Barcelona eleven: Ter Stegen; Koundé, Araújo, Iñigo Martinez, João Cancelo; Christensen, De Jong, Gündo?an, Pedri; Lamine Yamal and Lewandowski.
Napoli, for its part, is experiencing the most hectic hours of an already intense season. It is an erupting volcano right now. Aurelio De Laurentiis, owner of the Italian team, fired his friend Mazzarri late this Monday, just 48 hours before the momentous duel for a place in the quarterfinals, which greatly compromises the arrival of Francesco Calzona, the new coach and current selector of Slovakia, who had only one training session before making his debut on a bench that he already knows, having been part of Spalleti and Sarri’s coaching staff during their time in Naples.
Of course, the Neapolitans, who come to the duel without casualties, have a great argument to cling to. Nigerian Victor Osimhen returns after a month away for the Africa Cup. He will be the starter in attack, accompanied by his faithful squire, the Georgian Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who has been the differential player in recent weeks.
The eleventh of Naples: Meret; Di Lawrence, John Jesus, Rrahmani, Matthias Olivera; Lobotka, Zambo Anguissa, Cajuste; Politano, Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia.
