Napoli take on Ajax in the UEFA Champions League 2022-23 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples on Wednesday, October 12. The match will start at 10:15 PM IST (Indian Standard Time).
Napoli are having one of the best starts to the 2022-23 campaign across Europe. The Gil Azzuri are unbeaten in 23 games, including an ongoing eight-match winning streak across all competitions. Napoli have scored 13 goals in three games in UCL 2022-23 while conceding only twice. They are also atop the Serie A points table this season.
Meanwhile, Ajax have not had the best of starts this season in the Champions League, losing against Liverpool and Napoli in their first three games. In the Eredivisie, however, the defending champions are one point behind the league leaders and have the second-best attack and defence in the 2022-23 campaign. Ajax won all six games in the UCL group stage last season before they were knocked out by SL Benfica in the round of 16.
Napoli vs Ajax UEFA Champions League 2022-23 odds
Parimatch odds: Napoli: 1.59, Ajax: 5.20, Draw: 4.70
Betwinner odds: Napoli: 1.56, Ajax: 5.05, Draw: 4.60
Betway odds: Napoli: 1.57, Ajax: 5.00, Draw: 4.50
10CRIC odds: Napoli: 1.59, Ajax: 5.02, Draw: 4.55
Note: Odds are subject to change. Please visit betting sites to check and confirm the latest odds.
Napoli vs Ajax head-to-head
Napoli’s 6-1 win over Ajax on Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League 2022-23 season was the only previous meeting between the two sides.
Napoli have won all of their last five games across all competitions, while Ajax have suffered three defeats in their last five.
Napoli vs Ajax UEFA Champions League 2022-23 squads
Napoli: Alex Meret (goalkeeper), Salvatore Sirigu (goalkeeper), Hubert Idasiak (goalkeeper), Alessandro Zanoli, Mario Rui, Min-jae Kim, Giovanni Di Lorenzo (captain), Amir Rrahmani, Juan Jesus, Mathias Olivera, Andre Zambo Anguissa, Piotr Zielinski, Eljif Elmas, Gianluca Gaetano, Tanguy Ndombele, Alessio Zerbin, Victor Osimhen, Giovanni Simeone, Matteo Politano, Stanislav Lobotka, Hirving Lozano, Giacomo Raspadori, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Ajax: Remko Pasveer (goalkeeper), Maarten Stekelenburg (goalkeeper), Jurrien Timber, Calvin Bassey, Ahmetcan Kaplan, Lisandro Magallan, Kik Pierie, Owen Wijndal, Daley Blind, Youri Baas, Devyne Rensch, Edson Alvarez, Florian Grillitsch, Mohammed Kudus, Kenneth Taylor, Youri Regeer, Davy Klaassen, Steven Berghuis, Lucas Ocampos, Steven Bergwijn, Dusan Tadic (captain), Francisco Conceicao, Brian Brobbey, Lorenzo Lucca.
Napoli vs Ajax probable starting lineups
Napoli: Alex Meret (goalkeeper); Giovanni Di Lorenzo (captain), Amir Rrahmani, Juan Jesus, Mathias Olivera; Andre Zambo Anguissa, Piotr Zielinski, Stanislav Lobotka; Hirving Lozano, Giacomo Raspadori, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Ajax: Remko Pasveer (goalkeeper); Devyne Rensch, Jurrien Timber, Calvin Bassey, Daley Blind (captain); Davy Klaassen, Steven Berghuis, Edson Alvarez; Mohammed Kudus, Brian Brobbey, Steven Bergwijn.
Napoli vs Ajax UEFA Champions League 2022-23 combined fantasy XI
Remko Pasveer (goalkeeper); Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Jurrien Timber, Juan Jesus, Mathias Olivera; Andre Zambo Anguissa, Piotr Zielinski; Steven Bergwijn, Mohammed Kudus, Giacomo Raspadori, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (captain).
Napoli top picks and players to watch vs Ajax UEFA Champions League 2022-23
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia: The Georgian forward has registered six goals and four assists across all competitions for Napoli this season. Kvaratskhelia scored and assisted a goal in the reverse fixture against Ajax while he also assisted once against Cremonese in the Serie A in Napoli’s last match. Kvaratskhelia will be a handful for the Ajax defenders considering his high-pressure style of play and keen eye for goal.
Giacomo Raspadori: Napoli’s no. 81 has been in fine form in the 2022-23 UCL campaign. Raspadori netted a brace against Ajax and also scored once against Rangers in two appearances this season. He also scored two goals in two games for Italy in the recent UEFA Nations League games. Raspadori’s anchor play makes it difficult for the defenders to pinch the ball off him in and around of penalty area.
Ajax top picks and players to watch vs Napoli UEFA Champions League 2022-23
Mohammed Kudus: The 22-year-old attacking midfielder has been Ajax’s bright shining star so far in this difficult season. Kudus has smashed four goals in the Eredivisie and three goals in the Champions League this season, with an incredible 75 per cent goal conversion rate in Europe.
Steven Bergwijn: Scoring seven goals in the season so far, Bergwijn has been the focal point of Ajax’s offensive strategy. He averages 1.6 key passes per game in the 2022-23 season as the creative side of his game helps the team move up the pitch and be efficient on the counter-attacks.
Napoli vs Ajax UEFA Champions League 2022-23 prediction
Napoli have been unbeaten throughout the season across all competitions. They have been on a goal-scoring spree in the Champions League this season and are tipped to be the favourites on Matchday 4 in Naples.
Ajax’s recent form has been poor, including a heavy defeat to Napoli, with their defence unable to keep clean sheets. The Eredivisie defending champions are also yet to find their mojo in the UCL 2022-23 campaign, giving them a low win probability in the upcoming encounter.