All groups are half way, each team has faced all teams in the group once. Now it is time to start with the return games! And during this round 4, both top teams already can qualify for the next round!
If we take a look at the table, we do see that Napoli is leading with 7 points, followed by Liverpool with 6. Salzburg had two brave games against Napoli and Liverpool but only has 3 points. And the bottom of the table, we do find my beloved Genk with a miserable 1 point!
Today Liverpool will host the game against Genk, while Napoli host the game against Salzburg!
For Napoli it is pretty simply. If they do win this game, they are more or less already qualified for the next round. They would have increase the gap with Salzburg to 7 points! Okay Genk could be still in contention if they do surprise the world and themselves and will go home with 3 points from Anfield Road! But let's be honest, nobody does expect this!
But it will be not so easy for Napoli to put Salzburg aside. The game in Salzburg did end in a 2-3 victory for Napoli! And at the moment they aren't really in the best shape! They haven't won a single game since the victory in Austria! 2 draws against Atalanta and Spal were followed by a loss away at AS Roma.
Salzburg on the other side does come to Napoli with 3 wins! And a goal difference of +7. Surprisingly Haaland only did score 2 out of the 10 goals in between these 2 games! Don't forget that he is currently the topscores of the Champions League with 6 goals! Which is twice as much as the Champions League topscorer of Napoli Mertens!
As a Genk fan I do hope that Napoli will win this game. This would mean that regardless of our result against Liverpool Salzburg stays within striking distance. Also this would mean that Napoli would already be qualified when we have the away game there!
Okay we lost at home with 1-4 and we have to be honest Liverpool didn't have to play their best football to get that pretty easy win. There isn't only a huge difference in the quality of players both teams do have, but also in the form of these players!
Between the home game and now, Liverpool looks like cruizing in all competitions. They won twice in the Premier League and did draw against Arsenal in one of the best games so far this season but did qualify during the penalty kicks!
Genk on the other hand doesn't have such an impressive record. A poor win at home against Cercle, who is standing last with 1-0. A draw against Antwerp which they didn't deserve and a loss away at Eupen! Mazzu is still searching for an excellent line-up. It is easy to blame the coach while also the players seems to be lacking motivation! I do hope that they will be motivated this evening. For most of them this will be their only visit to Anfield Road. An environment which just breaths Football! It is jusy an iconic place! Not only for the players, but also for the fans! 2600 fans will be in the Stadion this evening and I do hope that they do see some warriors!
For the home game I did wrote that it wouldn't be a walk in the park for Liverpool, but tonight it probably will! Liverpool currently has an unbeaten home record of 23 games and I don't see how Genk could break this streak! Not even in their wildest dreams!
It will become probably a goal galore, but I doubt it that Genk will find the net! The players can decrease the pressure on their coach at the moment but not loosing with too many goals and fighting for every ball! If they score will run up to high and Genk will not win the next game in the domestic competition, it will probably be over for Mazzu!
Forca Racing!
Cheers,
Peter
