Napoli v Liverpool predictions: Kvaratskhelia a handful for overrated Reds

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Napoli v Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 8pm Wednesday

Best bets

Napoli
1pt 11-4 Betfred

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to be first goalscorer
0.5pts each-way 10-1 bet365

Team news

Napoli
Striker Victor Osimhen is a major doubt.

Liverpool
Ibrahima Konate, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are out. Thiago Alcantara and Fabio Carvalho are doubts.

Preview

Liverpool's Champions League campaign last season ended in heartache and there could be more to come when their new one kicks off at the Diego Maradona Stadium in Naples.

Just a few months after the Reds were pipped by Real Madrid in the 2021-22 final it's back to the grind of the group stage and a problematic opener against in-form Napoli.

Despite hit-and-miss form and a glut of injuries, bookmakers like Jurgen Klopp's side but if there's ever a time to be taking them on, this looks like it.

New-look Napoli, rapidly rebuilt following a summer exodus of stars, are off to a flyer in Serie A and they look a value bet on home soil.

Luciano Spalletti has had to work wonders after waving farewell to Lorenzo Insigne, Dries Mertens, Kalidou Koulibaly and Fabian Ruiz but he has replaced them with a few gems.

Min-Jae Kim looks a proper central defender while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – the 'Georgian Messi' – is earning rave reviews.

A left-sided frontman with pace, nous and an eye for goal, Kvaratskhelia loves to occupy the channels between right-back and central defence so Trent Alexander-Arnold, if selected (and that's not guaranteed given his iffy form), should be nervous.

Kvaratskhelia is 10-1 to score first and that looks a really generous quote for a forward in rich form up against a Liverpool defence continuing to cough up chances.

Napoli are unbeaten in nine matches, including the end of last season, are second in the table and accusations after four games that they hadn't played anyone decent were soundly dispelled in round five on Saturday when they went to Lazio and deservedly won 2-1.

Everyone in Italy seems to be raving about Spalletti's project in Naples, which is in stark contrast to a sense of disillusionment with Liverpool.

Winners of just two of their six matches this season, beset with an injury crisis, short of quality in midfield, missing Sadio Mane, making mistakes at the back, it's a cocktail of problems for Klopp to overcome. He will no doubt fix them and Liverpool will bounce back but right now they look worth opposing.

Key stat

Napoli haven't trailed at half time in any of their last 11 matches.

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