NAPLES, ITALY – MARCH 09: Stanislav Lobotka of Napoli during the Serie A match between Napoli and Fiorentina at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on March 09, 2025 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
Napoli welcome Stanislav Lobotka back with Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund amid an injury crisis as they host Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.
It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 17.45 GMT.
The pressure is on after Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Como in Serie A, but above all the need to make up for the humiliating 6-2 defeat to PSV Eindhoven.
The Partenopei scraped one 2-1 home win over Sporting CP in the Champions League and lost away to Manchester City and PSV, so this is a must-win game.
However, Antonio Conte’s choices are limited, because Lorenzo Lucca is suspended following his red card in Eindhoven, with Kevin De Bruyne, Billy Gilmour, Leonardo Spinazzola, Alex Meret and Romelu Lukaku injured.
The good news is that Lobotka is fit for his first start in over a month, while Hojlund is the only option as centre-forward.
Eljif Elmas gets the nod for the trident attack with Matteo Politano, sending David Neres to the bench.
Eintracht Frankfurt have a curious Champions League record this season, as all three of their games ended 5-1.
They won the first against Victor Osimhen’s Galatasaray, then lost by the same scoreline to Atletico Madrid and Liverpool.
Coach Dino Toppmöller also has problems, because talent Can Uzun is out injured, along with Oscar Hojlund and Elias Baum.
The one to watch is Jonathan Burkardt, who scored three goals in three Champions League games this season, plus six in eight Bundesliga appearances.
There are some familiar faces, like veteran Mario Götze, former Bologna defender Arthur Theate and ex-Roma player Rasmus Kristensen, in what seems to be a very defensive line-up.
Napoli vs. Eintracht Frankfurt line-ups
Napoli: Milinkovic-Savic; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Gutierrez; Anguissa, Lobotka, McTominay; Politano, Hojlund, Elmas
Napoli bench: Contini, Ferrante, Juan Jesus, Neres, Olivera, Vergara, Beukema, Ambrosino, Lang
Eintracht Frankfurt: Zetterer; Collins, Koch, Theate; Kristensen, Götze, Larsson, Chaibi, Brown; Burkardt, Bahoya
Eintracht bench: Grahl, Kaua Santos, Amenda, Knauff, Skhiri, Wahi, Dahoud, Doan, Chandler, Buta, Batshuayi
Ref: Pinheiro (POR)
32
4
13
22
3
99
20
8
68
21
19
23
3
21
34
13
4
8
16
19
27
9
30
18
22
33
20
24
7
15
5
17
40
