The Weekly Take, Issue 351: A Mid-Season Transfer Window to Forget Led to This

In what was likely the most important Serie A match to date this season, Napoli hosted Inter Milan in a clash which would see its winner climb into first place in the league. Neither team entered the match in good form - Napoli were winless over their preceding four matches while Inter had collected just seven points over their last five. Thus, this match was not only one which would allow the team comin out on top to deal a major blow against their main title rival; it would also get their season back on track after a recent slump.

As things turned out, however, neither team was able to rise to the moment as Napoli and Inter played to a 1-1 draw. Federico Dimarco opened the scoring for Inter with a free kick in the 22nd minute shortly after Inter had their claim for a penalty rejected following a collision in the penalty area between Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay and Denzel Dumfries. It was almost as though Dimarco took out his frustrations about the penalty being denied on the ball, burying it in the far corner to put the Nerazzurri a goal ahead.

However, that would be about as good as it would get for Inter. For the vast majority of the match and especially after Inter scored the opening goal, Napoli clearly dominated proceedings and launched shot after shot at the Inter net. It was thus rather surprising that the score remained 1-0 in Inter's favour at half-time.

Napoli continued to pour on the pressure throughout the second half and eventually, their persistence did pay off. With just three minutes of regulation time remaining, substitute Philip Billing couldn't finish off Stanislav Lobotka's pass; his shot was saved by Inter goalkeeper Josep Martínez. However, the ball came back to Billing; on the second attempt, the Danish midfielder slotted it in to ensure that Napoli would not finish the match empty-handed.

Despite the late equalizer, Napoli will certainly be looking at this result as a blown opportunity. Their recent downturn in form is no coincidence - it's come as a direct result of the departure of superstar winger Khvicha Kvaratshkelia to Paris Saint-Germain in the mid-season transfer window. At the time of his departure for the Parc des Princes, "Kvara" was clearly Napoli's best player. Napoli's failure to adequately replace him dealt a significant blow to their hopes of reclaiming the league title that they last won two seasons ago.

In addition, there have to be questions brought up over Victor Osimhen. After a hot start, Osimhen's replacement at centre-forward Romelu Lukaku has seen his form tail off dramatically in recent months. Osimhen, on the other hand, while playing on loan in the far weaker Süper Lig with Galatasaray on loan from Napoli this season, has sent his parent club a clear message as to what they're missing after having left the club in controversial circumstances. However, given everything that happened which led to the Nigerian being set on loan to Galatasaray, it's not partiularly likely that Osimhen will end up returning to Campania - something Napoli could deeply regret should they fail to win the league this season.

Going back to the Kvaratshkelia transfer to PSG, Napoli should have done more with the windfall they received from his departure. PSG signed the Georgian for a transfer fee of €70 million - a total which they could easily have put towards signing multiple new players. This would've represented an opportunity for Napoli to get the jump on Inter by bringing in one or more key players to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona; however, it was an opportunity that Napoli completely missed - and that might just cost them the league title.

Of course, a sense of perspective must still be kept. For all of this, Napoli are still just one point behind Inter in the race for the Scudetto. They're still coached by one of the best today in Antonio Conte; in addition, the signings from their highly fruitful off-season transfer window have picked up many key points for Napoli so far.

However, after having lost their Serie A lead to Inter during their ongoing winless streak, Napoli are no longer in the driver's seat as far as the Scudetto chase is concerned - and it's a direct result of everything that happened in the January transfer window.

The Weekly Take, Issue 334: Sometimes, the Quick Fix Works

To say that Napoli’s Serie A title defense last season was a feeble one would certainly be an understatement. The season before, the Campanian club won the Scudetto for the first time in 33 years by a massive 16-point margin over league runners-up Inter Milan. After such a dominant league campaign in 2022-23, Napoli appeared primed to run it back and make a serious push for back-to-back Serie A titles.

However, Napoli’s 2023-24 season could not have been more different. Before the season began, head coach Luciano Spalletti left his position to accept the then-vacant job at the helm of the Italian national team. Rudi Garcia took over; however, results were underwhelming and Garcia was fired in November 2023. Garcia was replaced by Walter Mazzarri who made no improvements whatsoever; he too was dismissed in short order. Francesco Calzona took over for the Tuscan.

Napoli didn’t even come close to replicating the success of the season prior. So dismal was their play that home matches which ended in their players being booed off the field started to become commonplace as the end of the season approached. When it was all over, Napoli finished just 10th in the league with just 53 points, missing out on a Champions League spot by a whopping 15 points. Napoli finished in their lowest league placement since the 2008-09 season when they were 12th.

Unsurprisingly, Napoli overhauled just about everything this past off-season. A major pickup came in the dugout when they landed Antonio Conte as Calzona’s replacement. A four-time Serie A champion over the course of his coaching career, Conte was widely expected to bring stability to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona following the chaos of the prior season.

In the transfer window, Napoli spent heavily yet prudently. Instead of going all-in on a top-tier superstar, Napoli shelled out more than €150 million over six players including Scott McTominay, Alessandro Buongiorno, and Romelu Lukaku who’d be tasked with matching the goalscoring output of former star striker Victor Osimhen whose frayed relationship with the club led to his loan stint at Galatasaray. Napoli also picked up Leonardo Spinazzola on a free transfer from Roma.

All these changes have clearly worked - Napoli have already built a healthy lead on top of Serie A and have just extended it with a 2-0 victory over AC Milan. Lukaku opened the scoring in the fifth minute before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia clinched all three points with Napoli’s second goal shortly before half-time.

Turnarounds like what has been happening at Napoli don’t come around all too often. Perhaps the most important thing that has to be pointed out regarding their hot start has to be how they finessed the transfer market. In Lukaku and McTominay, Napoli picked up two players who were still capable of being high-level starters but whose stock happened to be low at the time. Landing centre-back Buongiorno for €35 million was also a very savvy acquisition; Buongiorno was fresh off a breakout season for his hometown club Torino in which he emerged as the club’s best player. At 25, he still likely has his absolute peak ahead of him as well.

The hiring of Conte has turned out to be a masterstroke. As was the case with Lukaku and McTominay, Conte’s stock was at an all-time low after having left Tottenham Hotspur in controversial circumstances in March 2023. Conte had not returned to the touchline since. Once again, Napoli understood exactly what Conte brought to the table and made the move that’s likely been the primary catalyst behind their return to the top of the league.

Speaking after Napoli’s victory over Milan, Conte claimed that Napoli’s main target this season was to secure a return to continental tournament play in 2025-26. However, it’s already obvious that this was far too modest an objective. This revamped Napoli team is genuinely very impressive - and it appears to be sustainable as well. This isn’t a team being carried by the brilliance of one or two elite players. It’s a well-rounded unit that right now might be the most underrated team there is.

Not many would have expected Napoli to right the ship as quickly as they did. However, unlike what a lot of other clubs in their position might’ve done, Napoli figured out what they needed to do and made all the right moves instead of any reckless, ill-advised ones. There’s no reason why they can’t go on to make it two Serie A titles in three seasons.

The Weekly Take, Issue 287: "Lightning in a Bottle" Has Fizzled Out

The 2022-23 season was one which everyone associated with Napoli will never forget. Snapping a 33-year Serie A title drought, Gli Azzurri claimed the Scudetto in utterly dominant fashion. The Campanian club won the league by a staggering 16-point margin over Lazio, while players such as Khvicha Kvaratshkelia, Kim Min-jae, Frank Anguissa, and most notably of all, league top scorer and player of the year Victor Osimhen all had breakout seasons, putting them firmly in the spotlight heading into the off-season.

Napoli's dismal Serie A campaign continued after succumbing to a 1-0 away loss against arch-rivals Juventus. It was Napoli's third loss in their last four league matches. What made this loss even more of an indictment on Napoli's season thus far is the fact that they had 67% of the possession and dictated the flow of the match almost from opening kick-off. Despite this, they somehow only managed to muster one shot on target and ultimately left with nothing following Federico Gatti's 51st-minute goal.

Though it's impossible to pinpoint one singular factor as the main cause underpinning Napoli's struggles this season, there have been several which have taken a cumulative toll on the club. One of them has to be the internal instability caused over Osimhen's future at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Following Osimhen's spectacular 2022-23 season, the Nigerian striker was subsequently linked with moves to clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, Paris-Saint Germain, and Liverpool, but none ended up materializing. With no guarantee that Osimhen would remain at the club in 2023-24, targeting key signings over the off-season was made much more difficult.

This in turn leads to the point about the players they did sign. Napoli spent over €100 million to add seven players to their roster, of which two were immediately loaned out. Despite this large expenditure, however, except for Giacomo Raspadori, none of their signings have thus far moved the needle in any notable way. To add to this, Bayern Munich signed centre-back Kim for €50 million; he has since become a mainstay of the starting 11 at the Allianz Arena. Napoli, on the other hand, attempted to shore up the defense with the addition of Natan from Red Bull Bragantino; he has largely underwhelmed during his first few months at Napoli.

Napoli's success last season could also have contributed to their current struggles in two ways. It could be that they became somewhat complacent following one of the most dominant league title victories in recent memory. Napoli's decline this season could also be the result of struggling under the weight of their newfound expectations - perhaps finding it difficult to be the chased instead of the chaser for the first time.

This brings up another question: what's the plan for Napoli moving forward? While there have been transfer rumours surrounding the possibility of players such as Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Quinten Timber, and Arnau Martínez signing for Napoli in January, none are likely to be the catalyst that swings the race for a top-four spot and a Champions League berth in Napoli's favour. That being said, there is one player with whom Napoli have been linked who could play a key role should they land him: 20-year-old centre-back Giorgio Scalvini. However, Napoli would likely have to fend off interest from clubs such as Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and Manchester City to land one of Serie A's most promising young prospects.

It may also be time for Napoli to reconsider who the player they should build around really is. It might very well be the case that Osimhen turns out to be just one of many "one-season wonders" - and that Kvaratshkelia is the true club cornerstone for the future. At just 22, the Georgian winger's ceiling is more than a match for that of just about anyone not named Bellingham, Haaland, or Mbappé. Unlike Osimhen - and indeed, almost all of his teammates - Kvaratshkelia has actually improved instead of regressing this season, becoming a rare bright spot in a difficult campaign.

There were never any guarantees that Napoli's fortunes in 2023-24 would even come close to the iconic season they had before it. That said, very few thought they'd struggle quite like this. The "lightning in a bottle" they captured a year ago has almost completely disappeared.

The Weekly Take, Issue 233: Neapolitan Dynamite

Napoli solidified their position as the team to beat in this season's Serie A with a 1-0 victory over AS Roma in the latest edition of the Derby del Sole. Victor Osimhen's goal in the 80th minute was enough to lead Gli Azzurri to a seventh consecutive Serie A win. Napoli's victory also saw them re-establish a three-point lead at the top of the league over reigning champions AC Milan.

Very few would have predicted Napoli's ascent this season; they were third in Serie A last season, finishing seven points behind Milan. They were also eliminated in the Europa League's round of 24 against Barcelona. However, at this point of the season, the Campanian club are not only likely to capture a first Scudetto since 1990; they might even be a dark-horse pick to win the Champions League for the first time in the club's history?

When analyzing what has changed so drastically as to make Napoli such a powerhouse this season, the first and most important point to note is their off-season player transactions. Napoli made major changes to their squad from last season; veterans Dries Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne left the club on free transfers to Galatasaray and Toronto FC respectively. Napoli also sold Kalidou Koulibaly to Chelsea for €40 million and Fabián Ruiz to Paris Saint-Germain for €25 million.

With the money obtained from their player sales, Napoli went on to have probably the most productive transfer window of any club in Italy. André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, who had been at the club on loan from Fulham during the previous season, became a full-time player for €15 million. Napoli's signing of Kim Min-jae from Fenerbahçe has also paid dividends, while loan acquisitions Giacomo Raspadori and Tanguy Ndombele have both had significantly positive impacts. And that's before even mentioning their most notable signing who merits a section of his own.

When Napoli signed Khvicha Kvaratshkelia from Dinamo Batumi in July, not many knew just what to expect. After all, Georgia has never been a country regarded as anything even close to a football hotbed. However, "Kvara" is turning out to be the exception that proves the rule. At just 21, the winger has emerged as one of world football's most promising young talents who has not even begun to scratch the surface of his immense potential. Although Kvaratshkelia has not even completed a third of a season at Napoli, he has already drawn the attention of a number of the world's leading clubs such as Real Madrid, PSG, and Manchester City.

Every player of this team fits perfectly - Napoli are truly greater than the sum of their parts. After just 11 league matches, a total of 13 players have already contributed to Napoli's league-leading 26 goals with no player having scored more than five. Additionally, no Napoli players are even close to Serie A's leading players as far as distance covered per match as well as average completed dribbles per match are concerned. Napoli's success appears to be sustainable simply because no single player has to handle too large of a burden, and this team-first roster build and general approach has clearly paid dividends.

This same idea even extends to the bench; Napoli might have the deepest bench of any club in the world right now. When one considers the fact that players on the level of Hirving Lozano, Matteo Politano, and Giovanni Simeone are not even regular starters, the reasons for Napoli's success become even clearer. Despite their relatively modest finances in comparison to the biggest, most glamorous clubs in the world, Napoli have almost as many weapons from which to choose as do those money-laden powerhouses.

Unfortunately for Napoli, the reality is that in modern-day football, success of this sort at such a club usually doesn't last. Several of those major clubs are likely to pursue and, indeed, sign one or more of their key players within the next several years. This is especially true when considering the relative youth of some of the Campanian club's key players - Kvaratshkelia is 21, Kim is 25, and Osimhen is 23. That said, for however long this core group stays together, Napoli will clearly be a team which cannot be overlooked. No one should be surprised if this season, they pair a first league title in more than three decades with the deepest Champions League in the club's history.

The Weekly Take, Issue 192: Fizzling Out After a Hot Start

Napoli began the 2021-22 season in molten-hot form, winning their first eight Serie A matches and surging into first place in the league. At that point, it somewhat felt as though Gli Azzurri were fated to win their first league title since 1990, given the fact that this was their first complete season since the tragic death of Diego Maradona just over a year ago. The Argentine was not only arguably the greatest player of all time; he was also by far Napoli's greatest and most iconic player. As such, one might have expected the team to become more driven than ever before to "win it for Diego".

However, since then, their blistering early-season form has petered out. This was evidenced in a 1-1 draw against Juventus, a result which extended a dismal run of form in the league. Dries Mertens put Napoli ahead midway through the first half, but Federico Chiesa's equalizer ensured that the Bianconeri would put yet another dent in their Campanian rivals' league title bid.

With that result, Napoli now lie six points behind league leaders Inter Milan despite having played one additional match. Even more alarmingly, over their past nine league matches, Napoli have collected just two wins and amassed a mere nine points, allowing both Inter as well as AC Milan to overtake them and almost certainly guarantee that the Scudetto will stay in the city of Milan barring a remarkable turn of events in the following months.

Napoli's form in European competition has also been less than stellar. Drawn into what should have been a relatively simple Europa League group containing Spartak Moscow, Leicester City, and Legia Warsaw, Napoli could only finish second in Group C. They lost out on top spot to Spartak on head-to-head record and thus missed out on a direct round of 16 spot. This also means that in what would be a significant shock, Napoli could very well end up exiting the tournament in the round of 24. They have been drawn against Barcelona in that round; despite Barça's struggles this season, they will nevertheless prove to be difficult opposition for Luciano Spalletti's team.

It will only get more difficult for Napoli in the coming weeks. Three of the club's players have departed for Cameroon to represent their countries at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. Crucially, two of them are among Napoli's most important players: Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly and Cameroonian midfielder André-Frank Zambo Anguissa. In the duo's absence, Napoli will have to find some way to rediscover their early season form; Atalanta and Juve are nipping at Napoli's heels in the chase for the final two of Serie A's four Champions League qualification spots. Any further slip-ups will almost certainly be punished.

In the ongoing January transfer window, Napoli should seriously consider acquiring a proven goalscorer. At the halfway point of the current Serie A season, Dries Mertens is Napoli's leading goalscorer with six league goals as of this post. This is worrying for two reasons: 1) it is alarmingly low figure for a club's leading scorer at this point of the season and 2) Mertens is 34. The attacking players who are in their prime have not been racking up the goals as one would expect. This lack of firepower up front has become increasingly evident in recent weeks; Napoli have scored just two goals over their last four league matches.

Napoli's lack of activity in the off-season transfer window has also come back to bite them. The only money they spent on transfers last summer was on Anguissa when they brought him in from Fulham; even that money was merely one of the requirements of a loan deal. While Napoli aren't necessarily as loaded with cash as are some of the other leading Serie A clubs, the absolute pittance they spent on transfers is inexcusable for a club at this level which intends to compete for domestic and European silverware.

There's certainly still time for Napoli to turn it around. However, considering the facts that this season's Serie A was poised to have one of the most open and hard-fought title races ever and that Napoli were among the favourites to win the Europa League, it's starting to feel as though after their blazing start, Napoli might just find themselves experiencing something of a "lost season".

The Weekly Take, Issue 150: Peaking at the Right Time?

In a match which will have major implications on the race for a top-four spot in Serie A and the Champions League berth that goes with it, Napoli beat Roma 2-0. Dries Mertens scored both goals within a seven-minute span in the first half. The victory saw Napoli close to within two points of Juventus and Atalanta who are third and fourth in the league respectively. Crucially, Napoli have a match in hand against Juve; victory in that would now see Gli Azzurri leapfrog Juve and move into third.

Napoli experienced mixed fortunes last season. Despite winning the Coppa Italia by beating Juve on penalties in the final, Napoli only managed to finish seventh in Serie A. This represented their worst league finish since 2009. The club's campaign was marked by instability throughout - a fact made clear with the December 2019 firing of legendary coach Carlo Ancelotti. Ancelotti was replaced by Gennaro Gattuso, whose results at the helm to date have been somewhat inconsistent.

That said, things are starting to look brighter at the Stadio San Paolo now. They have emerged from a slump during which they lost six out of 12 league matches, winning four of their last five. Much to their good fortune, Napoli's resurgence has coincided with inconsistent play from their direct competitors for a top-four spot, keeping them firmly in the frame for Champions League play next season.

Unlike Juve, Atalanta, Roma, or AC Milan, Napoli appear to be peaking just as the season enters its final stretch. Their massive outlay on player transfers last season is also beginning to pay off. The likes of Hirving Lozano, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Diego Demme, and Matteo Di Politano were not quite able to fully gel with the team in 2019-20, in part due to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, now that they have spent more time at the club, they have all improved tremendously from last season and have made crucial contributions to Napoli's success thus far.

One key to Napoli's improvement this season has been their attack. Last season, Napoli only scored 61 league goals. This was their lowest tally since 2011; their goal difference was also its worst since 2010. Arkadiusz Milik was Napoli's only player to reach double figures in Serie A. This season, though, Napoli have turned it around up front. With 11 matches remaining, they have already scored 58 goals in the league. Long-serving striker Lorenzo Insigne leads the club with 13; he could potentially match his career-best 18 which he netted in the 2016-17 season.

After a turbulent half-season in charge, Gattuso has also seemed to become much more familiar with his personnel and been able to adjust his tactics accordingly. Last season, he tended to favour a 4-3-3 formation which featured Milik at centre-forward and Piotr Zieliński in central midfield. On the wing, José Callejón was usually preferred over Lozano.

However, it has all changed this season. Gattuso now primarily opts for a 4-2-3-1 set up. Zieliński now occupies the number 10 role while Callejón and Milik's off-season departures have allowed Lozano and Mertens to become regular starters. With this new setup, Napoli's attacking threat down the wings has greatly improved from that of last season. It has also made them much more proficient at creating long-range shot opportunities.

In any case, Napoli must not get ahead of themselves. As I mentioned, there's still that upcoming clash against Juve on April 7; it will go a long way towards answering the question of whether there will be Champions League football in Naples next season. Roma and Lazio are also nipping at Napoli's heels; a late slump on Napoli's part coupled with a surge by either of both of the Rome-based clubs could see Napoli once again fail to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Nevertheless, it could very well be that Napoli are peaking at exactly the right time. A first league title since 1990 is out of the question; Inter Milan are champions-to-be with a massive lead and a match in hand. Despite this, the way Napoli have been playing over the past few weeks, they have every chance to make the top four. Of course, doing so by beating bitter rivals Juve and potentially knocking the Turin club out of the top four in the process would be especially sweet.

The Weekly Take, Issue 130: A Season Hanging in the Balance

Napoli's strong start to the Serie A season hit an unexpected roadblock this past weekend. The Campania-based club crashed to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of this season's surprise package Sassuolo. Goals scored by Manuel Locatelli and Maxime Lopez ensured that Gennaro Gattuso's team would not finish with any points to show for their efforts.

This has become a familiar story for Napoli: their team once again appears better on paper than it actually is on the field. It has seemed as though for years now, they have been a step away from making a breakthrough but never actually do so. Already, it appears as that may again be the case this season. They are clearly behind Juventus, Inter Milan, Atalanta, and AC Milan in the current pecking order in Italy. If Sassuolo continue their form throughout the season, it is going to be very difficult for Napoli to make next seasons Champions League.

There were certainly questions about Napoli heading into this season. Last season, they finished seventh in the league. This was their worst league finish since 2009 when they were eighth. They accumulated just 62 points in the league; their lowest tally in eight years. On top of that, they were also knocked out of the Champions League in the group stage. That being said, Napoli also did pick up some silverware by winning the Coppa Italia.

Napoli's future remains somewhat unclear. This is especially so after losing midfielder Allan to Everton for €25 million during the past off-season. They did replace him by picking up Tiémoué Bakayoko on loan; however, despite this fact, Bakayoko's impact on this team is yet to be truly determined. Unless Napoli make some moves in January, this could end up being their worst season in years.

It is somewhat surprising that over the past decade, Napoli have never made a true breakthrough. Despite the immense talent which has sometimes graced their squad, they have not won a league title during this span. Even more damningly, they have not even made it to the Champions League quarterfinals even once. Not even the likes of Edinson Cavani, Gonzalo Higuaín, Dries Mertens, Marek Hamsík could turn Napoli into a true force at the highest level.

However, it isn't all bad news at the Stadio San Paolo. Despite the problems they currently face, they should be able to at least make a top-four push. A team with a core containing Mertens, Hirving Lozano, Kostas Manolas, and captain Lorenzo Insigne can never be truly overlooked. Gattuso, meanwhile, has another year of coaching experience under his belt; for all we know, this might be the year in which he really begins to figure it out. It must also be remembered that prior to the Sassuolo match, Napoli had won four of their first five Serie A matches. If those wins represent their true level this season, their fans have reason to be optimistic.

One step which Napoli could take which would undoubtedly improve their prospects for the rest of the season would be signing a new starting central midfielder during the next transfer window. A midfield with the likes of Fabián Ruiz, Diego Demme, and Bakayoko, while decent, clearly lacks the punch that those of Napoli's Serie A rivals have.

Napoli should also consider adding a new, younger winger who will someday be Mertens' replacement. The Belgian is now 33 years old and thus does not have many years left. Signing Victor Osimhen from Lille was therefore a good move in this area. That said, Napoli can definitely afford to get a little younger, especially if Osimhen ends up not panning out.

If this season ends up being a wash for Napoli, they might even have to take another look at whether Gattuso really is the coach for them going forward. In his coaching career, Gattuso has shown an ability to raise a team's floor. However, he has not shown that he can really team a good, above-average team into an upper-level one, let alone an elite one. Another season in which Napoli fail to make the top four could spell the end of Gattuso's tenure.

Napoli are truly at a crossroads right now. They have many decisions to make. If they choose wisely, they could soon be once again among Italy's top clubs. Get it wrong, however, and the road back will be long and arduous.

The Weekly Take, Issue 36: It’s Not the Group of Death for Nothing

During the previous round of Champions League fixtures, the standout result was Red Star Belgrade’s 2-0 upset victory over Liverpool. This was a result that not many saw coming. However, overshadowed in the buzz over this upset was the fact that Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain drew 1-1, leading to this year’s toughest Champions League group becoming ever tighter.

As things stand, Group C of the Champions League sees all four teams separated by just two points after four matchdays. Napoli and Liverpool have six points, PSG five, and Red Star four. When the group stage draw was first made, many considered Groups A, B, and C to be the most difficult, but in the former two cases this has proven false, with Borussia Dortmund and Atlético Madrid pulling well clear of Monaco in Group A, and Barcelona and Inter Milan doing likewise to Tottenham in Group B.

To give you an idea of how difficult Group C is, I will first analyse each team in the group.

PSG entered the competition as one of, if not the outright, favourites to win it all and bring the Champions League trophy back to France for the first time since 1993. Not a whole lot more that hasn’t already been said about this team needs to be. PSG are absolutely loaded, boasting superstars such as Neymar, Kylian Mbappé, and Edinson Cavani, as well as a capable supporting cast including the likes of Thomas Meunier, Marco Verratti, and Adrien Rabiot. However, although PSG have won every single one of their league games thus far, the general weakness of Ligue 1 has meant that this domestic dominance has not carried over into the Champions League. This fact is evidenced by PSG’s underwhelming Champions League record of one win, two draws, and one loss. This team, tipped by many to go all the way, might just be sent packing in the group stage.

Next, we come to Napoli. This is a team that had to retool during the off-season after losing Jorginho and, more crucially, head coach Maurizio Sarri, both to Chelsea.

With Sarri at the helm, Napoli had overachieved during the past three seasons. They twice finished second in Serie A, and, despite consistently underperforming in European competition, were always seen as a dangerous team. Now, with legendary coach Carlo Ancelotti in charge, Napoli could be in line for their best season in a long time, despite the departure of Gonzalo Higuaín.

Liverpool also cannot be overlooked. Much like Napoli, the Reds overachieved last season by reaching the Champions League final, largely thanks to the goalscoring prowess of superstar striker Mohamed Salah and the coaching genius of Jürgen Klopp. Liverpool also spent heavily over the off-season, bringing in Naby Keїta, Fabinho, Alisson, and Xherdan Shaqiri for a combined sum of over ₤168 million. Players such as Georginio Wijnaldum and Joe Gomez have also excelled, taking their levels of play to new heights. The heavy spending and player development have both borne fruit, at least in the Premier League, with Liverpool still unbeaten and only trailing Manchester City by two points. However, their Champions League campaign hit a snag after the shock loss to Red Star.

Speaking of Red Star, despite being regarded as by far the weakest team in the group before the tournament began, they have proven that they are not to be taken lightly. Players such as Lorenzo Ebecilio, Marko Marin, and Marko Gobeljić are better than most people think, and their draw against Napoli and victory over Liverpool have put them in a position in which they could potentially defy the odds and top their group.

Groups of Death usually feature nail-biting, nerve-wracking action, but not in the wildest dreams of most fans did they anticipate that Group C would be quite this tight. When all is said and done, at least one team, and perhaps two, expected to progress further in this year’s Champions League will not. This bloodbath of a group is far from over, and the last two matchdays will be utterly crucial.

I leave you with one final thought: with two Champions League matchdays to go, Red Star Belgrade could conceivably finish top of the group, while PSG could finish bottom and even miss entry into the Europa League.

Let that sink in.