Napoli vs Arsenal: predicted lineups, team news and our call for tonight
Kick-off is at 21:00 at the Maradona. McTominay has had surgery and is out for about two weeks, Anguissa is out with an adductor problem, Neres is a doubt. Confirmed line-ups land around 20:00: here is what is settled and what is not.
Napoli against Arsenal kicks off tonight at 21:00 Italian time at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, on Champions League matchday one.
It is Massimiliano Allegri's first European night as Napoli manager, and it comes against a side that won the Premier League last season and reached the Champions League final.
Who is out, and this part is not a guess
Napoli are without two midfielders, and there is nothing to resolve here.
Scott McTominay has had surgery: the club said the Scot underwent an ablation procedure at Spire Manchester Hospital, that it was successful, and that he will rest for about two weeks before returning to training.
Zambo Anguissa is out with an adductor problem, confirmed by Allegri at his press conference. Neres is a doubt after training apart on the eve of the game.
Allegri said he has four midfielders for three places and would decide on the morning of the match. On qualification he was blunt: it takes twelve points to go through.
The predicted line-ups, described for what they are
At this hour no confirmed line-up exists, and the versions in circulation do not agree. What looks reasonably settled at Napoli is the frame: Rasmus Hojlund up front, Kevin De Bruyne behind him, Di Lorenzo and Rrahmani at the back. Left-back, the centre-back alongside Rrahmani and the two wide forwards are open.
For Arsenal the fixed points are Raya in goal, Gabriel in defence, Rice in midfield and Bukayo Saka on the right. Left-back, Rice's midfield partner and the centre-forward are open.
Confirmed team sheets land around 20:00 Italian time, and we update this page then.
Our call
On the game we have under 4.5 goals, confidence 7 out of 10.
On individuals we have two: at least one shot from Rasmus Hojlund, and at least one shot from Tzolis.
Upcoming games, with predicted lineups and our calls, are on the Champions League page. The record of our settled calls is in the results history, and the individual calls are in player predictions.
