Napoli need a point to secure a mathematical passage to the last 16 of the Champions League and Luciano Spalletti does not want to leave anything to chance because such an outcome would allow his team to prioritize Serie A and attempt the first serious escape in the table until mid-November.Today, information came out that along with Napoli, only Bayern has 14 players on the list of registered scorers this season. All five Napoli strikers shook the nets in Serie A and the Champions League: from the returning Victor Osimhen to Raspadori, Simeone, Lozano, Politano, to the season’s revelation Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.Eight days on from their thumping win in Amsterdam, Group A leaders Napoli face Ajax again, this time at Stadio Maradona. The Neapolitans ruthlessly disposed of their third straight Champions League opponent last week – coming from behind to hammer a shell-shocked Amsterdamers 6-1 at Johan Cruyff Arena.The Partenopei recorded a ninth win from 11 matches, sweeping clear at the top of Group A and truly established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in continental competition.Barca’s chance to take revenge and get back on the knockout stage trainAlso, after another storming success in Europe – following successive three-goal victories over both Liverpool and Rangers – they followed up by unleashing a further flood of goals in Serie A on Sunday (4-1 against Cremonese). That result keeps the Campanian club top of the pile in Italy, and after Atalanta’s draw at the weekend, they now sit two points clear.Spalletti’s ambitions of taking the Neapolitan outfit beyond the last-16 for the first time has more leverage than ever and could well come to fruition when the knockout phase kicks off after the World Cup.Victor Osimhen will be back in the Napoli squad for tomorrow’s champions league clash against Ajax. This is according to Napoli manager Luciano Spaletti. pic.twitter.com/wcENNcM1GL— Oma Akatugba (@omaakatugba) October 11, 2022 Dutch champions are stuck like they haven’t been in a long long time. So soon after suffering the club’s heaviest-ever defeat in European competition, Ajax are required to face down the team that dealt out such a drubbing, and there is no time for to dwell on their misfortune, as progress from Group A is still very much up for grabs.The four-time European champions, of course, defied the odds to reach the final four in 2019, but a series of departures since – perhaps none more significant than that of coach Erik ten Hag – has left a new-look side searching for its identity under Alfred Schreuder.There is a sparkling light in this see-saw of a season for the Amsterdamers – Ghana striker Mohammed Kudus. The youngster scored an opening goal against Napoli at Johan Cruijff Arena, after which he managed to do the same in all three matches after.Domestically, Ajax lie second in the standings nine games into the 2022-23 season, having lost just one game, while racking up 27 goals and conceding just eight.Time is of the essence, so the former Club Brugge manager will need to convince his charges they can recover from consecutive Champions League defeats and start picking up points again.❌ 2-1 🆚 Liverpool❌ 6-1 🆚 Napoli Ajax are looking to avoid losing three consecutive #UCL games for the first time since November 2014 📉 pic.twitter.com/i2HrVU8Kke— LiveScore (@livescore) October 12, 2022 Back to Osimhen and Napoli’s roster. Following a spell on the sidelines through injury, the Nigeria international has rejoined full training and is set to start on the bench which again means Giacomo Raspadori and Giovanni Simeone compete for one place up front. Either would be supported by Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who has scored six Serie A goals already and earned himself the moniker ‘Kvaradona’.And let’s not forget the incredible form Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa is in. The Cameroonian has been essential for Spalletti as much as the in-form attackers lately. In 12 matches this season (Serie A and Champions League combined) he scored three goals while also recording five assists. And it is not just about the stats – his seems ever-present on the pitch, covering every inch of that box-to-box space, contributing equally both offensively and defensively.In the back for the Italian side, with Amir Rrahmani out – Leo Ostigard would most likely step in alongside Kim Min-jae.As far as the visitors go, Ajax are really up for a challenge. Captain Dusan Tadic is ruled out due to suspension following his dismissal in the second half last week which creates space for Francisco Conceicao and Lucas Ocampos, but there is little doubt about the identity of the visitors’ danger man. Ghanaian Mohammed Kudus should start in the centre of a mobile front three as he has scored seven goals in his last eight outings.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – GROUP STAGERound 4Tuesday Maccabi Haifa – Juventus 2-0 (2-0)/Atzili 7, 42/Copenhagen – Man.City 0-0Shakhtar – Real Madrid 1-1 (0-0)/Zubkov 46 – Rudiger 90+4/Dortmund – Sevilla 1-1 (1-1)/Bellingham 35 – Nianzou 18/AC Milan – Chelsea 0-2 (0-2)/Jorginho 21 pen, Aubameyang 34/PSG – Benfica 1-1 (1-0)/Mbappe 40 pen – Joao Mario 62 pen/Celtic – RB Leipzig 0-2 (0-0)/Werner 75, Forsberg 84/Dinamo Zagreb – Salzburg 1-1 (0-1)/Ljubicic 41 – Seiwald 12/Wednesday 19.45: (1.65) Napoli (4.20) Ajax (5.90)19.45: (1.49) Atl.Madrid (4.30) Club Brugge (7.75)22.00: (2.55) Sporting (3.40) Olympique Marseille (3.00)22.00: (8.00) Rangers (5.30) Liverpool (1.43)22.00: (1.58) Tottenham (4.30) Eintr.Frankfurt (6.75)22.00: (2.35) Leverkusen (3.50) Porto (3.25)22.00: (1.48) Barcelona (4.70) Inter (8.00)22.00: (15.0) Plzen (8.50) Bayern (1.18)***odds are subject to change
