It has been a positive start from Napoli in the Europa League this season and the Azzurri look like they have the quality to go all the way in the competition this term.
With an attacking lineup that would cause problems for any side across Europe, manager Luciano Spalletti’s side will harbour high hopes for what can be achieved this season.
Azzurri Among the Favourites
Once it was known Napoli would be competing in the Europa League this season, there would be few to argue this team should be challenging at the business end of the tournament. Napoli, who are the favourites in the Europa League betting odds to win the competition, managed to go top Group C after the first four games. UEFA Europa League tips are likely to be backing the Serie A outfit for their remaining games as they look to secure a place in the all-important knockout stages. Based on their results in the first four games, it looks like Spalletti’s side should have the quality in their ranks to progress through a group that also include Legia Warsaw, Leicester City and Spartak Moscow.
Spalletti won’t be totally satisfied with his side’s efforts in the competition after their first four outings, with his team only managing to keep one clean sheet. The Napoli boss knows his side are more than capable of shutting out teams, as their defensive displays in the Serie A this season have been nothing short of superb. After their first 12 league games, Napoli had only conceded four goals, while keeping eight clean sheets. For some reason the side have not been able to transfer that defensive resilience into the Europa League, after conceding six times in their first four outings. However, there’s still plenty to be positive about, especially when it comes to the final third of the field.
Napoli Have Firepower to Compete
There is no doubt Napoli have one of the most exciting attacks in the competition, with Spalletti’s side finding the back of the net 11 times in those first four games. Italy international Lorenzo Insigne continues to be the main creative threat for the team, while Victor Osimhen scored four goals in the Europa League this season before November’s international break.
Osimhen has looked sharp in the competition, with the Nigerian international catching the eye of many teams from across Europe. The 22-year-old is living up to the hype after joining Napoli for a club-record fee of €70 million from Lille back in 2020. If Osimhen can continue his goalscoring form in the competition, the striker will certainly be a contender for the Europa League’s top goalscorer this season.
There is much to like about this Napoli side and the positive start they have made both in Europe and domestically this season. It was the 1988-89 campaign the last and only time Napoli won the UEFA Cup, and it looks like they have a great opportunity to end the wait for European glory this term.
