MX23RW : Tuesday, March 11 16:49:00| >> :120:11100:11100:
[monks data]
Attendance: 38,878
Napoli logo
Champions League | Group Stage
Sep 17, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
Liverpool logo

2-0

Mertens (82' pen.), Llorente (92')
FT(HT: 0-0)

How Liverpool could line up against Napoli

Ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash between Napoli and Liverpool, Sports Mole looks at how the holders could line up in Italy.

Four months after capturing the trophy and five months after being beaten by Barcelona in their last Champions League away game, Liverpool return to the competition on Tuesday night when they travel to familiar opponents Napoli.

The Reds traded 1-0 wins with Carlo Ancelotti's charges last season, each match going with home advantage - although Liverpool had keeper Alisson Becker to thank for a late save in the match at Anfield that kept them from crashing out before the knockout stages.

This is a meeting between the runners-up in the Premier League and Serie A, with Napoli keen to leapfrog Juventus this season and Liverpool making a perfect winning start to their domestic campaign as they look to dethrone Manchester City.

Meetings between these two tend to be tight affairs, with Liverpool's visit to Naples before last season, in the 2010-11 Europa League, ending goalless.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Liverpool could line up for their Champions League opener.



Possible LIV XI vs. NAP

Out: Alisson Becker (calf), Nathaniel Clyne (knee)
Doubtful: Naby Keita (hip), Divock Origi (ankle)

> Click here for Liverpool's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match

Ancelotti might raise one of his wry smiles at the absence of Alisson, the man who played a huge part in denying his side a place in the Champions League knockout stages last season.

The Brazil keeper produced that heroic late save as Liverpool beat Napoli 1-0 at Anfield in their final group stage match, when an equaliser would have sent the visitors through.

The Reds have been without Alisson since their opening match of the Premier League season, when he suffered a calf injury while taking a goal kick.

Coach Jurgen Klopp has admitted that the exact date of Alisson's return is uncertain, and that the stopper still cannot put pressure on the affected calf.

Elsewhere, Guinea midfielder Naby Keita continues to sit out with the hip issue that has troubled him since pre-season, although Klopp says he is much closer to returning than Alisson.

Right-back Nathaniel Clyne is not expected to return from a knee injury sustained in pre-season until next year, but the international break was a positive one for Liverpool.

Klopp's preferred attacking trio, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, are free of the injury issues that affected all three during the latter stages of Liverpool's victorious run in Europe last season, although Origi suffered an ankle injury during the weekend win over Newcastle United.

Mane and Salah had the luxury of a break in the absence of Senegal and Egypt fixtures from the schedule. Given that the number of Liverpool players not making international appearances could be counted on one hand, Klopp decided to give both an extended break over the period.

ID:371567: cacheID:371567:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5652:
Written by
Ben Miller
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Alisson Becker warms up on May 1, 2019
Read Next:
Jurgen Klopp in the dark over when Alisson Becker will return to fitness
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
QLiverpool870121
QInter Milan861119
QBarcelona861119
QArsenal861119
QAtletico860218
QB. Leverkusen851216
QAston Villa851216
QLille851216
9Real Madrid850315
10AC Milan850315
11Atalanta843115
12Dortmund850315
13Bayern850315
14PSV842214
15Benfica841313
16Feyenoord841313
17PSG841313
18Monaco841313
19Brest841313
20Juventus833212
21Celtic833212
22Man City832311
23Sporting Lisbon832311
24Brugge832311
25Dinamo Zagreb832311
26Stuttgart831410
27Shakhtar82157
28Bologna81346
29Red Star82066
30Sturm Graz82066
31Sparta Prague81164
32RB Leipzig81073
33Girona81073
34Salzburg81073
35Slovan Bratislava80080
36Young Boys80080


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!