Following AC Milan's 1-0 Champions League quarterfinal first leg victory over Napoli in Lombardy last midweek, the Rossoneri travel down to Naples in an effort to reach the final four of the competition for the first time since they won it all back in the 2006/2007 season.
Ismael Bennacer's fifth goal for the club saw Stefano Pioli's side claim the bragging rights in the opening bout but the visitors know that they'll find the going very tough away to the Serie A champions in waiting.
That said, they did claim a huge 4-0 win over Napoli on April 2, which will give them plenty of confidence in terms of getting the job done here but the home side, backed by their loyal faithful, will be desperate to turn this tie around here.
For all your betting needs ahead of this huge Champions League quarterfinal second leg, The Sporting News has you covered.
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Napoli vs AC Milan odds
As expected given the fact that they have to overturn a deficit in this second leg, Napoli have been made heavy favourites to win this clash in Naples.
The hosts have been in stunning form on home soil in particular this season, losing just three of 20 outings across all competitions, though their latest was a 4-0 hammering from AC Milan that will cause concern heading into this decider.
Expect a match where Milan are happy to sit back and hit their opposition on the counter-attack, but if they sit too deep Victor Osimhen & co could make short work of them.
| NAP win | Draw | MIL win | Both teams to score Y / N | Over / Under 2.5 goals | NAP -0.5 | MIL +0.5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM (USA) | -118 | +250 | +333 | -108/-133 | +105/-147 | -105 | +108 |
| Sports Interaction (Canada) | 1.81 | 3.41 | 4.30 | 1.90/1.72 | 2.07/1.67 | 1.80 | 1.95 |
| SkyBet (UK) | 4/5 | 13/5 | 7/2 | 10/11 - 4/5 | 11/10 - 4/6 | — | — |
| Neds (Australia) | 1.83 | 3.40 | 4.50 | 1.95/1.75 | 2.10/1.68 | — | — |
| Dafabet (India) | 1.79 | 3.45 | 4.60 | 1.92/1.82 | 2.09/1.74 | 1.79 | 2.02 |
Napoli vs AC Milan: Three things to know
Napoli vs AC Milan match facts
- Date: Tuesday April 18
- Kickoff time: 20:00 p.m (BST) | 15:00 p.m (ET) | 05:00 a.m (AEST on Weds, April 19)
- Location: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona (Naples, Italy)
- Official: Szymon Marciniak (Poland)
- Last meeting: AC Milan 1-0 Napoli (Champions League QF first leg - April 12 2023)
Napoli vs AC Milan team news
The big positive for Napoli from their goalless draw with Hellas Verona at the weekend was the return of star striker Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian came off the bench but could well be given a starting role against the Rossoneri. Giovanni Simeone is still sidelined for the hosts, who will also be without the suspended duo of Kim Min-jae and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa.
Pierre Kalulu returned from a calf injury in Milan's 1-1 draw with Bologna, and Stefano Pioli otherwise has a strong squad to choose from. There are doubts around Simon Kjaer, but it is hoped he will be available.
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Napoli vs AC Milan prediction
- Moneyline lean: AC Milan (+333)
- Against the spread lean: AC Milan +0.5 (+108)
- Score prediction: Napoli 2-1 AC Milan (Napoli progress after extra time)
If you're only going to watch one of the next four Champions League quarterfinal second legs, make sure it's this one.
We're expecting plenty of drama, action and quality throughout a match that we think will see Napoli qualify for their first ever Champions League semifinal.
Is that prediction harsh on AC Milan? Absolutely but there's something about this Napoli team and something about the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on a packed-out European night that could give them the edge here.
As mentioned before, Milan hold their destiny in their own hands but it's a case of 'do you attack to kill off the tie?' or 'do we sit back and hit them on the counter?'. Both come with their risk and reward in truth but, if Napoli recapture their season-long stunning form, Milan could find themselves in trouble through no fault of their own.
Napoli vs AC Milan best bet
- Pick: Over 2.5 goals
- Odds: +105 (BetMGM)
Given the open nature of this Champions League quarterfinal second leg, getting the over 2.5 goals scored selection at +105 with BetMGM seems very good value.
Napoli for a start have struck 91 goals across all competitions this season, the third-most of any top-five European side behind only Manchester City and Bayern Munich. In fact in the Champions League alone they've top scored with 25 goals while generating an xG total of 23.45 (also a competition-high figure) so they could take out this bet by themselves, especially with star man Osimhen back in the fold.
And well, if that reasoning isn't good enough, add AC Milan's attack into the equation.
They came to this ground just two weeks ago and ran out very comfortable 4-0 winners. With attackers such as Rafael Leao, Olivier Giroud and Brahim Diaz at their disposal, they could cause Napoli all sorts of problems defensively.
Napoli vs AC Milan flier bet
- Pick: Victor Osimhen to score anytime
- Odds: +110 (BetMGM)
With Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti declaring star striker Victor Osimhen fit for this second-leg clash, it just feels written in the stars that the Nigerian forward will find the back of the net here.
The 24-year-old is in the midst of a true breakout season, netting 25 times across 30 appearances for the Italian side this campaign, which is now seeing him courted by the biggest football clubs in the world.
That form has also seen him hit four goals in five Champions League outings throughout the 2022/23 season, scoring three of those as he helped his side to down Eintracht Frankfurt at the last-16 stage.
