At the Olympiastadion in the German capital, Union Berlin hosted Napoli in the third matchday of the Champions League group stage. Following a cagey first half where the Italian champions found little space to work their magic, the second period saw the Partenopei dominate the play and eventually pull off a winner thanks to the combined efforts of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Giacomo Raspadori. So here are our player ratings for Napoli who boosted their chances of reaching the Round of 16 with a vital 1-0 win over Union Berlin.
Napoli (4-3-3)
Alex Meret – 6.5
The Italian custodian pulled off a solid save in the first half to deny David Fofana and was always alert to the danger.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo – 6
A savvy performance from the Napoli captain who used all of his experience – and at times gamesmanship – to guide his team towards an important victory even if he wasn’t as explosive as usual.
Amir Rrahmani – 7
An impressive display at the back from the underrated Kosovan defender who emerged victorious in almost every duel on the ground and in the air.
Natan – 7
The Brazilian is slowly but surely proving to be a brilliant summer coup on the club’s behalf. Made some pivotal interceptions and celebrated one with sheer ecstasy.
Mario Rui – 6
A decent display at the back from the former Empoli man albeit he seemed awkward at times with the ball at his feet.
Jens Cajuste – 5
A far from impressive display from the Swedish midfielder who couldn’t truly plug the gap left by the injured Zambo Anguissa. Lacked quality on the ball and lost possession on an occasion that almost culminated in a Berlin goal. He was hauled off by Rudi Garcia at halftime.
Stanislav Lobotka – 6
A quiet day at the office for the former Celta Vigo man who found little space to operate but still picked up his teammates with precise passes.
Piotr Zielinski – 6
The Pole drifted in and out of the match. While it wasn’t a poor display by any means, it lacked significant moments.
Matteo Politano – 5.5
The former Inter man didn’t enjoy his best evening and was nowhere near the prolific winger we saw on display against Verona in the weekend. Struggled in his duel against Robin Gosens and saw little of the ball.
Giacomo Raspadori – 7
While he doesn’t provide the same haunting presence of Victor Osimhen in the penalty box, the Italy international did well to bury his solitary chance, pouncing on Kvara’s brilliant assist to break the deadlock with a clinical finish.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – 8
The Georgian sensation confirmed his positive run with another thrilling display. From the get-go, he presented himself as the ultimate source of danger for Napoli, dribbling past his markers and drawing fouls. It was his dazzling run from the left that undid the Berlin defenses and allowed Raspadori to score from close range.
Substitutes
Eljif Elmas – 6
The North Macedonian was easily an upgrade on the disappointing Cajuste. Added a rhythm to the Napoli play that was sorely missing in the first half.
Giovanni Simeone – 6
The Argentine didn’t have a crack on goal but worked extremely hard to help his teammates at the back see off the match.
Mathias Olivera – 6
The Uruguayan picked up from where Mario Rui left off. He wasn’t spectacular but did well to strengthen his team’s defenses.
Jesper Lindstrom – N/A
Leo Ostigaard – N/A
 |
Follow us on Google News for more updates on Serie A and Italian football |