Napoli and Juventus must win in Champions League to avoid exit | OneFootball

The Champions League is back, and for Juventus and Napoli, it’s already time for decisive answers. On the fifth matchday of the League Phase, Spalletti’s and Conte’s teams face Bodo/Glimt and Qarabag respectively: matches that, on paper, seem within reach but hide major pitfalls.

Napoli and Juventus, an immediate turnaround is needed in the Champions League: three points are a must to avoid the risk of elimination

A complicated situation: tight standings and little room for error

After the first four matchdays, Napoli and Juventus have collected far too little:

Juventus: 3 points from three draws against Borussia Dortmund, Villarreal, and Sporting Lisbon.

Napoli: 4 points with only one victory.

These numbers are insufficient, especially considering that, looking at last season, the safety threshold to reach the playoffs is around 12 points. Getting 11 might not be enough, leaving everything to goal difference. Which means only one thing: winning today is essential.

Juventus: in Bodo, a tougher challenge than expected

For the Bianconeri, the main obstacle won’t be the opponent so much as the context. Bodo/Glimt is used to extreme weather, capable of putting technically superior teams in trouble. Previous experiences of Lazio and Roma in Norway prove it: underestimating the environment would be a mistake.

After this away game, however, the schedule could favor Spalletti’s team:

two home matches against Pafos and Benfica (currently struggling),

and a final match away at Monaco.

The necessary condition to take advantage of this easier path is just one: coming back from Bodo with three points.

Napoli: Maradona Stadium will be full, but Qarabag is the revelation

For Conte, home advantage is a plus, but Qarabag is one of the surprises of the competition: 7 points so far and a solid, aggressive structure that’s hard to break down.

Napoli cannot afford any distractions: so far, their performance has not been up to par, with only one win in four matches.

The road ahead is anything but easy:

a tricky away match at Benfica,

another trip to Copenhagen,

and a final match at the Maradona against Chelsea, currently at the top of the Premier League.

Reaching this trio of matches without a win over Qarabag would only increase the pressure.

For Napoli and Juventus, mistakes are forbidden

The margin for error is practically zero. Anything less than three points this round would force both teams into an almost perfect chase in the last three matches—a complicated and far from guaranteed scenario.

The message is clear: Qualification depends on today. A win is needed to avoid jeopardizing their European journey.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.