Napoli will look to convert their big first-leg advantage when they welcome Wolfsburg to the San Paolo on Thursday at 21:05 CET for the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final.
Wolsburg were many people’s tip for the title but the in-form Germans lost 4-1 inside the Volkswagen Arena by a ruthless Napoli with a brace from Marek Hamsik sandwiched between Gonzalo Higuain and Manolo Gabbiadini strikes.
The result means Die Wolfe must break new ground after their heaviest ever continental loss – no side has ever progressed in a European tie after losing the home leg by more than two goals. They need four goals, but the last time that happened in Naples was fourteen years ago.
The first-leg result didn’t look likely in early April after Napoli went five matches winless streak that was punctuated with their exit from the Coppa Italia at the hands of Lazio. The capital club have also replaced Partenopei on the Serie A podium and with it access to the Champions League.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis took matters into his own hands by calling a media black out and sending the squad to a training camp to refocus Rafa Benitez’s men before the season got away from them.
The film producer got a response good enough for the big screen as Dries Mertens, Hamsik and Jose Callejon put three past fellow Europa League quarter-finalists Fiorentina before success against the side second in the Bundesliga.
That was followed by a 3-0 win away to Cagliari at the weekend that kept them in the hunt for a top three finish and continue their recent hot streak.
Wolfsburg on the other hand look shaken by the reverse at home and succumbing to a hectic schedule.
Prior to the first meeting, the Germans had won 17 and lost just once in 23 matches but defeat to Napoli was followed by a 1-1 draw with Schalke. Coach Dieter Hecking’s side face a run of four matches in nine days with a DFB-Pokal final berth on offer if they manage to get past opponent Arminia Bielefeld in the semi-final.
That could turn Heckling’s head but, with runners-up spot behind Bayern Munich all but assured, Wolfsburg are expected to play at full strength in the hope they can produce an unprecedented shock.
Napoli though have conceded five in this season’s competition with only two at the San Paolo and are unbeaten in 11 European home games since a 3-0 loss to FC Viktoria Plzen in February 2013 – their heaviest European home defeat.
Benitez could decide to rest some of his stars ahead of Sunday’s Serie A match against Sampdoria but is likely to resist making sweeping changes to avoid an embarrassment.
If rumours of Benitez’s exit at season’s end are to be believed, having won the competition with Valencia and Chelsea, the Spaniard would surely love to join Giovanni Trapattoni as a three-time winner and become the only coach to win the tournament with three different clubs.
Barring a catastrophic collapse, Napoli should be celebrating their first semi-final appearance since the glory days of Diego Maradona when they won the competition back in 1989.
Form Guide: Napoli (W-W-W-W-D-W), Wolfsburg (W-W-D-W-W-L)
Expected Starting XIs
Napoli: Andujar, Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Ghoulam, David Lopez, Inler, Callejon, Gabbidiani, Insigne, Higuain
Wolfsburg: Benaglio, Vieirinha, Naldo, Knoche, Rodriguez, Gustavo, Guilavogui, Caligiuri, De Bruyne, Schürrle, Dost
