Napoli vs Ajax prediction, odds and preview

Eight days after their resounding victory in Amsterdam, Group A leaders Napoli will square off against Ajax once more at Stadio Maradona in an effort to advance to the Champions League knockout round.

The teams will meet again on Wednesday night, with the hosts having the opportunity to guarantee passage by defeating their Dutch opponents a second time; the visitors will need points to keep up with Liverpool.

Napoli has scored 13 goals in the Champions League and 22 goals overall, making them one of just two unbeaten teams still in Serie A after nine rounds.

Spalletti’s hopes of leading the Neapolitan team through the last 16 for the first time may thus be realized.

Ajax is second in the standings after nine games of the 2022–23 season, has lost just one match, scored 27 goals, and allowed just eight goals. After beating Volendam 4-2 on Saturday, they are just one point behind league leader AZ Alkmaar.

The four-time European champions, of course, went against the odds to make it to the last four in 2019, but since then, a number of departures have left a new-look team seeking its identity under Schreuder, maybe none more so than the departure of coach Erik ten Hag.

The former Club Brugge boss will need to persuade his team that they can bounce back from back-to-back Champions League losses and start scoring points again since time is of the essence.