Five key stats ahead of Napoli vs Real Madrid | UEFA Champions League | OneFootball

Real Madrid will be looking for their second win of the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League when they lock horns with Napoli in a Group C encounter later tonight.

The Merengues began their campaign in the Champions League with a narrow 1-0 win over Union Berlin, courtesy of a late winner by Jude Bellingham.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side will need to be at a much higher level tonight if they are to overcome the challenge posed by the reigning Serie A champions at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Real Madrid do have history on their side though heading into this encounter as Napoli have never beaten Los Blancos in the four previous occasions that the two teams have met on the football pitch (D1 L3).

The Merengues boast a healthy record against teams from Italy in general as well.

Indeed, Real Madrid have won 28 of their 48 UEFA Champions League encounters against Italian outfits. No other team has beaten clubs from a specific country more often in the history of the competition.

In fact, Real Madrid have won 14 of their last 15 Champions League encounters against Italian clubs. This run includes seven victories in seven away from home as well.

But Napoli will be no pushovers as they have an exemplary record at home when it comes to the group stages of the Champions League.

After all, the Partenopei have been undefeated in 19 of their 21 home games in the Champions League group stages (W15 D4 L2).

It will be a special occasion for manager Ancelotti as he returns to Napoli for the first time after leaving the club back in December 2019.

The Italian tactician has a very impressive record against the Partenopei, as he has led his team to nine wins out of 12 games versus his former employers (D1 L2), but his last match as manager against Napoli came way back in 2009, when he was still at AC Milan.

Jude Bellingham is the MVP for Real Madrid at the moment and all eyes will certainly be on him when the Merengues take on Napoli tonight.

If Bellingham were to start at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona tonight, he would go past Liverpool ace Trent Alexander-Arnold and become the Under-21 English player with the most starts in the Champions League.