The Barcelona faces Naples on Thursday (1:45 p.m. Bolivia time) in the first leg of the Europa League playoffs, in a star duel to achieve the pass to the round of 16, between two teams marked by the passing of the Argentine legend Diego Armando Maradona.
“It’s an open tie, Napoli have touched us, they’re a complicated opponent,” coach Xavi Hernández warned on Wednesday, who in December affirmed that the game is “almost another tribute to Maradona”.
“They are going to complicate us”, added this Wednesday Xaviwhose team, eliminated from the Champions League, receives Napoli at the Camp Nou in full ascendancy, which has taken them to fourth place in the Spanish LaLiga.
The azulgranas accumulate two victories in their last three games, including a resounding 4-2 win over Atlético de Madrid that has buoyed the Barcelona fans, despite a 2-2 draw against Espanyol last weekend.
In the Catalan derby, the azulgranas were once again victims of their own mistakes, especially in defense, which they will have to correct against Napoli.
– Avoid concessions –
“We concede a lot”, admitted coach Xavi Hernándezwho has doubts against the Uruguayan Ronald Araújo, one of his defensive mainstays, due to an overload.
On the offensive side, Barça will once again have Adama Traoré, generator of danger on the right wing, while in the center of the attack, Xavi could opt for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang instead of Ferran Torres, with Gavi on one side.
The azulgrana team will try to take advantage of the field factor to get a good result for the return at the Neapolitan Diego Maradona stadium next week.
The Italian team, ranked third in its championship, He comes into the game in fine form having won three of his last four league games with veteran striker Lorenzo Insigne buoyed by overtaking Maradona as the third-best goalscorer in the club’s history.
Without the double value of the goals in the opposite field, only a victory would allow the Italians to face with an advantage turn in your field.
Other parties
Like Barca, three other Spanish teams will seek to reach the round of 16 of the Europa Leaguewhere the eight teams that managed to finish first in their group of the continental competition await.
Sevilla, second classified in LaLiga and also reached the second continental competition since the Champions League, receiving Dinamo Zagreb.
“The team is full of enthusiasm to compete in a competition that is the history of this club”, said coach Julen Lopetegui this Wednesday.
Europa League specialist, who has won five times, “Sevilla is a feared club in this competition, and we hope that this year will be no different,” Brazilian Fernando told UEFA’s website.
Coach Julen Lopetegui will be able to recover for this match the Argentine attacker Lucas Ocampos, recovered from his muscular problems.
– Without Fekir –
Betis, another Spanish team in form, visits Zenit Saint Petersburg with the intention of bringing a good result for the second leg of the following week after accumulating seven victories in their last ten official matches.
The Andalusian team faces the match with the sensitive loss of its French midfielder Nabil Fekirwho will have to serve his third and final game of suspension for his expulsion against Bayer Leverkusen last November.
Betis will also not be able to count on its midfielder Sergio Canaleswho has already missed the last two games of his team after contracting Covid-19.
The Royal Society will visit Leipzig German ready to take a victory that would give her peace of mind for the second leg.
Coach Imanol Aguacil travels without Belgian winger Adnan Januzaj, who suffers a muscle injury, to the RB Arena, to which the Norwegian Alexander Sorloth returns, on loan from the German team to Real Sociedad.
— Play-off knockout round schedule of the Europa League to access the round of 16:
– Going:
Thursday February 17:
(13:45 Bolivian time) Barcelona (ESP) – Naples (ITA)
Zenit Saint Petersburg (RUS) – Betis (ESP)
Borussia Dortmund (GER) – Rangers (SCO)
Sheriff (MOL) – Braga (BY)
(16:00) Seville (ESP) – Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Atalanta (ITA) – Olympiacos (GRE)
Leipzig (GER) – Real Sociedad (ESP)
Porto (POR) – Lazio (ITA)
– Return:
Thursday 24 February
(13:45) Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) – Seville (ESP)
Olympiacos (GRE) – Atalanta (ITA)
Real Sociedad (ESP) – Leipzig (GER)
Lazio (ITA) – Porto (POR)
(16:00) Naples (ITA) – Barcelona (ESP)
Betis (ESP) – Zenit Saint Petersburg (RUS)
Rangers (SCO) – Borussia Dortmund (GER)
Braga (BY) – Sheriff (MOL)
The Barcelona faces Naples on Thursday (1:45 p.m. Bolivia time) in the first leg of the Europa League playoffs, in a star duel to achieve the pass to the round of 16, between two teams marked by the passing of the Argentine legend Diego Armando Maradona.
“It’s an open tie, Napoli have touched us, they’re a complicated opponent,” coach Xavi Hernández warned on Wednesday, who in December affirmed that the game is “almost another tribute to Maradona”.
“They are going to complicate us”, added this Wednesday Xaviwhose team, eliminated from the Champions League, receives Napoli at the Camp Nou in full ascendancy, which has taken them to fourth place in the Spanish LaLiga.
The azulgranas accumulate two victories in their last three games, including a resounding 4-2 win over Atlético de Madrid that has buoyed the Barcelona fans, despite a 2-2 draw against Espanyol last weekend.
In the Catalan derby, the azulgranas were once again victims of their own mistakes, especially in defense, which they will have to correct against Napoli.
– Avoid concessions –
“We concede a lot”, admitted coach Xavi Hernándezwho has doubts against the Uruguayan Ronald Araújo, one of his defensive mainstays, due to an overload.
On the offensive side, Barça will once again have Adama Traoré, generator of danger on the right wing, while in the center of the attack, Xavi could opt for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang instead of Ferran Torres, with Gavi on one side.
The azulgrana team will try to take advantage of the field factor to get a good result for the return at the Neapolitan Diego Maradona stadium next week.
The Italian team, ranked third in its championship, He comes into the game in fine form having won three of his last four league games with veteran striker Lorenzo Insigne buoyed by overtaking Maradona as the third-best goalscorer in the club’s history.
Without the double value of the goals in the opposite field, only a victory would allow the Italians to face with an advantage turn in your field.
Other parties
Like Barca, three other Spanish teams will seek to reach the round of 16 of the Europa Leaguewhere the eight teams that managed to finish first in their group of the continental competition await.
Sevilla, second classified in LaLiga and also reached the second continental competition since the Champions League, receiving Dinamo Zagreb.
“The team is full of enthusiasm to compete in a competition that is the history of this club”, said coach Julen Lopetegui this Wednesday.
Europa League specialist, who has won five times, “Sevilla is a feared club in this competition, and we hope that this year will be no different,” Brazilian Fernando told UEFA’s website.
Coach Julen Lopetegui will be able to recover for this match the Argentine attacker Lucas Ocampos, recovered from his muscular problems.
– Without Fekir –
Betis, another Spanish team in form, visits Zenit Saint Petersburg with the intention of bringing a good result for the second leg of the following week after accumulating seven victories in their last ten official matches.
The Andalusian team faces the match with the sensitive loss of its French midfielder Nabil Fekirwho will have to serve his third and final game of suspension for his expulsion against Bayer Leverkusen last November.
Betis will also not be able to count on its midfielder Sergio Canaleswho has already missed the last two games of his team after contracting Covid-19.
The Royal Society will visit Leipzig German ready to take a victory that would give her peace of mind for the second leg.
Coach Imanol Aguacil travels without Belgian winger Adnan Januzaj, who suffers a muscle injury, to the RB Arena, to which the Norwegian Alexander Sorloth returns, on loan from the German team to Real Sociedad.
— Play-off knockout round schedule of the Europa League to access the round of 16:
– Going:
Thursday February 17:
(13:45 Bolivian time) Barcelona (ESP) – Naples (ITA)
Zenit Saint Petersburg (RUS) – Betis (ESP)
Borussia Dortmund (GER) – Rangers (SCO)
Sheriff (MOL) – Braga (BY)
(16:00) Seville (ESP) – Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Atalanta (ITA) – Olympiacos (GRE)
Leipzig (GER) – Real Sociedad (ESP)
Porto (POR) – Lazio (ITA)
– Return:
Thursday 24 February
(13:45) Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) – Seville (ESP)
Olympiacos (GRE) – Atalanta (ITA)
Real Sociedad (ESP) – Leipzig (GER)
Lazio (ITA) – Porto (POR)
(16:00) Naples (ITA) – Barcelona (ESP)
Betis (ESP) – Zenit Saint Petersburg (RUS)
Rangers (SCO) – Borussia Dortmund (GER)
Braga (BY) – Sheriff (MOL)
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