- Holders Madrid eyeing seventh straight quarter-final appearance
- Free-scoring Napoli unbeaten in 18 matches in all competitions
- Merengues have won 28 of last 33 European home games, losing once
- Dries Mertens has scored 14 goals in last 11 outings
- Italian visitors have full-strength squad to choose from
Possible line-ups
Real Madrid: Navas; Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo; Kroos, Casemiro, Modrić; Vázquez, Benzema, Ronaldo.
Out: Bale (match fitness)
Napoli: Reina; Hysaj, Koulibaly, Albiol, Ghoulam; ZieliĹ„ski, Diawara, HamšĂk; CallejĂłn, Mertens, Insigne.
Misses next match if booked: Koulibaly
Where to watch
Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here.
Zinédine Zidane, Madrid coach
The first leg is at home and we want to take advantage, to damage our opponents’ hopes – but obviously they can do the same to us. We’re ready for it. Napoli play good football and Sarri is doing a great job as coach, evidenced by their results. It’s going to be a great game.
Everyone wants to win the Champions League but it’s a long, hard road and we’re on it. That’s the good thing. We’ve got all our players back [though the first leg comes too soon for Gareth Bale].
Maurizio Sarri, Napoli coach
Press conference at 19:00CET
Weekend results
Osasuna 1-3 Madrid (Sergio León 33; Ronaldo 24, Isco 62, Lucas Vázquez 90+3)
Madrid were made to work for the points against the Spanish Liga’s bottom-placed side but – with the help of Cristiano Ronaldo’s 14th league strike of the campaign – stayed clear at the head of the standings.
Napoli 2-0 Genoa (Zieliński 50, Giaccherini 68)
Emanuele Giaccherini tapped in his first Serie A goal for Napoli as Sarri’s team extended their unbeaten streak to 18 matches.
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
Madrid: WWDWLL
Napoli: WWDWWW
Reporter’s view: Joe Walker (@UEFAcomJoeW)
The return of the UEFA Champions League is a happy coincidence for Zidane as it also marks the return to the fold of a number of players, including Dani Carvajal and Marcelo. The full-back duo will almost certainly start and will be key for Madrid as they seek to end Napoli’s 18-game unbeaten run. The reigning champions are 11 undefeated at home in this competition themselves and will want to extend their proud record of having reached at least the quarter-finals in each of the last seven seasons.
Did you know?
Leo Beenhakker’s Madrid overcame Napoli 3-1 on aggregate in the sides’ only past encounter, in the first round of the 1987/88 European Champion Clubs’ Cup. Find out more in our extensive match background.
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