Can the SGE stand up to the goal-scoring Partenopei?
As the eleventh Bundesliga representative overall, Eintracht Frankfurt will take part in a Champions League round of 16 match on Tuesday night, making the Bundesliga the only league with more than ten different teams in this stage of the competition.
Naturally, the Europa League winners will now be looking to continue their run of form. However, with Frankfurt against Napoli, the betting on the SGE’s next win is not exactly under the most favourable omens.
Finally, SSC Napoli are the guests of an absolute heavyweight at Deutsche Bank Park. The Partenopei won 20 of their 23 league games in Serie A and lead the table with a commanding 15-point advantage. The Azzurri also secured group victory in the top flight with 15 out of 18 points. No team scored more goals in the preliminary round than the southern Italians (20). Overall, our prediction for Frankfurt against Napoli is therefore for the Partenopei to progress.
However, it has to be said that Eintracht Frankfurt have surpassed themselves time and again, especially in knockout matches. Under Oliver Glasner alone, the reigning Europa League champions have lost only two of their last 19 competitive matches in the Europa League and Champions League (ten wins, seven draws). It is therefore truly not out of the question that the SGE will add another heavyweight to the list of scalps taken with the Neapolitans, who are currently so outstanding at national level.
Nevertheless, we suspect that the southern Italians will be very attack-minded in the first leg and will be able to make life difficult for the Eagles. We are betting that Napoli will score the first goal in this German-Italian duel.
Frankfurt – Statistics & current form
Eintracht Frankfurt were already not exactly considered red-hot candidates to reach the last 16 of the top flight in the complicated Group D with Tottenham, Sporting Lisbon and Olympique Marseille. This assessment was confirmed by most experts after the 3-0 home defeat in the opening match against Sporting.
The SGE, however, picked up ten points out of a possible 15 from the five games that followed and, in second place, still managed to make it into the round of the 16 best teams in Europe. Another exclamation mark on the Eagles’ recent international record.
Under Glasner only one international home defeat
Under Oliver Glasner alone, the Hessians have lost just two of their 19 competitive games in Europa League and Champions League (ten wins, seven draws), with the 3-0 defeat to Sporting also the only international home defeat in their last nine European home games (three wins, five draws).
For comparison: In the Bundesliga, where the Adler won seven of their eleven home games in the 2022/23 season, there are already three lost games on record at Deutsche Bank Park. It is therefore by no means out of the question that the bet on another good home result for Eintracht in Frankfurt against Napoli will come true.
Only lost one of the last eleven competitive games
Not only has the SGE won their last two Champions League games in a row (2-1 each against Marseille and Sporting), but the Hessians also bring a strong record against Italian teams. They have only lost two of their last eleven international matches against Serie A representatives (six wins, three draws).
In addition, the reigning Europa League winners also have a lot of momentum on their side. The Eagles have lost just one of their last eleven competitive games (seven wins, three draws) and celebrated a successful dress rehearsal on Saturday with a 2-0 home win over Werder Bremen.
Last matches of Frankfurt:
Bundesliga
19/02/2023 – Eintracht Frankfurt 2 – 0 Werder Bremen
12/02/2023 – 1. FC Köln 3 – 0 Eintracht Frankfurt
DFB Pokal
08/02/2023 – Eintracht Frankfurt 4 – 2 Darmstadt
Bundesliga
04/02/2023 – Eintracht Frankfurt 3 – 0 Hertha BSC
29/01/2023 – Bayern Munich 1 – 1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Napoli – Statistics & current form
SSC Napoli have been the fiercest pursuers of serial champions Juventus Torino at one point or another in the 2010s, but have never been able to get past the Bianconeri. Nevertheless, the 1989 UEFA Cup winners were permanent guests in the European competitions.
However, the Partenopei have not been able to achieve any resounding successes in the last decade. In the Champions League, Napoli made it to the last 16 three times, but always ended up there. In the Europa League, meanwhile, they reached the semi-finals in 2015 and the quarter-finals in 2019.
Untouchable at national level
Now the southern Italians could reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in their club’s history, which bettors believe is highly likely given the betting odds on Frankfurt against Napoli. After all, the Azzurri are currently dominating Serie A in all form.
Luciano Spalletti’s men have won 20 of 23 league games (two draws, one defeat), giving them a 15-point lead over Inter Milan with 15 matchdays to go.
The team with the most goals in the Champions League preliminary round
Last time out, the Campania kickers won five league games in a row on 12-1 goals in the wake of their unfortunate Coppa Italia exit against Cremonese. Not only did SSC Napoli stand extremely secure defensively, but the Partenopei were also almost unstoppable in their forward play.
With 56 goals, Napoli is not only the strongest offensive team in Serie A, but with 20 goals in the Champions League group stage, the team from the south of Italy is also the team with the most goals in the top division. An average of 3.3 goals were scored in the Champions League under the guidance of Luciano Spalletti, with results such as the 4-1 home win over Liverpool and the 6-1 away win at Ajax Amsterdam standing out.
Last matches played by Napoli:
Serie A
18/02/2023 – Sassuolo 0 – 2 SSC Napoli
13/02/2023 – SSC Napoli 3 – 0 Cremonese
05/02/2023 – Spezia 0 – 3 SSC Napoli
30/01/2023 – SSC Napoli 2 – 1 AS Roma
21/01/2023 – Salernitana 0 – 2 SSC Napoli
Frankfurt – Napoli Direct comparison / H2H-balance
Head to head: 2 – 0 – 0
The two sides faced each other once before in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup 28 years ago. After the SGE won the first leg 1-0 at home, the Hessians also celebrated a 1-0 away victory in Campania. Frankfurt thus lead the direct comparison.
Frankfurt – Napoli tip
For Frankfurt against Napoli, the prediction must take into account the goal threat of the visitors in particular. Neither can any other Serie A team top the Partenopei’s 56 goals in league action, nor could any other team score more goals than Napoli in the Champions League preliminary round (20). The Azzurri have also already celebrated spectacular away victories (6:1) at top teams such as Ajax Amsterdam and thus go into the match favoured.
However, the SGE also has a lot to play for, which is why the range of what can happen in the first leg on Tuesday evening is almost enormous. We see the greatest value in betting that the Partenopei will at least score the first goal.
