Napoli

Goals from Victor Osimhen and Giovanni Di Lorenzo sealed a comfortable 2-0 win for Napoli in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with ...

Napoli stepped up their dominance after the break with Trapp once again called upon to punch away a Lozano effort as well as another drive from Kvaratskhelia. Overworked home keeper Kevin Trapp saved well to deny Khvicha Kvaratskhelia then pushed aside a 35th-minute penalty from the same player after Osimhen was tripped by Aurelio Buta in the box. A piece of individual brilliance from Kvaratskhelia served up an opportunity for Di Lorenzo to convert as Napoli ensured they would finish the first leg well in control and have one foot in the quarter-finals.

It was not always Napoli's game. Frankfurt started stronger, briefly catching Napoli wrong-footed with Randal Kolo Muani taking an early attempt on goal. It did ...

Inter Milan, in second place, have racked up six losses so far and it would take a truly spectacular collapse from Napoli for the Milan club to any threat whatsoever over the rest of the season. Some potentially tougher challenges follow over the coming weeks, with fifth-place Lazio next week and sixth-place Atalanta the week after. That loss might have been an uncharacteristic from the typically humble Luciano Spalletti, who fielded a far weaker side than normal for the cup tie. That they did it with such ease only goes to underscore that this is a Napoli the likes of which we have never seen before. Calm, confident control once again one the day for Napoli, with the constant pressing of Victor Osimhen, Hirving Lozano and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia overpowering the home side. Frankfurt started stronger, briefly catching Napoli wrong-footed with Randal Kolo Muani taking an early attempt on goal.

“It's time we got rid of this cliche about defensive Italian football,” said Napoli head coach Luciano Spalletti after their 2-0 away win to Eintracht ...

Playing 11 against 10, Frankfurt were a player lighter in midfield and this added space allowed Kvaratskhelia to one-two his way through the defence and backheel for Di Lorenzo to find the bottom corner. Napoli’s front three are ahead of the ball, which allows Kim to slide Osimhen through. Napoli had six high turnovers in Frankfurt, their most in a Champions League game this season. The wing-backs dropped deep and the No 10s tucked in, marking Napoli’s central midfielders (yellow circles). From the kick-off, Napoli almost produced a carbon copy. Lozano collects and has an easy pass into Kvaratskhelia, who shoots straight at goalkeeper [Kevin Trapp](https://theathletic.com/football/player/kevin-trapp-n6jjxzeGhhVrAdCm/). Their initial efforts to solve Frankfurt’s block involved player rotation. [Kristijan Jakic](https://theathletic.com/football/player/kristijan-jakic-3FFwgm5t2OW0pwWM/) and forces a turnover into the path of Osimhen… This extends Napoli’s run to six straight wins, scoring at least twice in each and conceded just once. [Hirving Lozano](https://theathletic.com/football/player/hirving-lozano-wilZnoGETTv8wZ0F/). The only problem: Frankfurt didn’t leave any spaces.

Napoli's Victor Osimhen (centre) scoring during the Champions League, round of 16, 1st leg game against Eintracht Frankfurt. PHOTO: EPA-EFE. Updated.

The 2014 World Cup winner added that his side needed to be calmer and criticised himself for the error which led to Napoli’s opener. We have to think game by game.” Everything is still possible.” “We probably had the chance to score an extra goal that could have been useful for us. Our biggest enemy is to think it’s done.” “I am happy with the performance, it was an end-to-end game.

Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti warned his side's "biggest enemy is to think it's done" after Tuesday's 2-0 last 16, first leg win at a ten-man Eintracht ...

We have to think game by game." "It was an end-to-end game, which we want and thrive in. "We made a mistake on the halfway line and Napoli had the speed and the quality to use it.

Napoli took a significant step towards their first Champions League quarter-final after a 2-0 victory over 10-man Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday.

Napoli return to action in Serie A with a Saturday trip to Empoli, while Eintracht travel to RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga on the same day. Trapp parried away a swerving Lozano attempt after the interval before Kvaratskhelia wasted a glorious chance with a chip straight at the onrushing Eintracht goalkeeper, but matters went from bad to worse for Eintracht soon enough. Victor Osimhen's 40th-minute opener at Deutsche Bank Park set Napoli on their way in the first leg of their last-16 clash after Kevin Trapp saved a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia penalty.