Napoli vs Manchester City, 2011-12 UEFA Champions League, 2011 First Phase

· UEFA Champions League

Napoli

17': Edinson Cavani
49': Edinson Cavani

FT
2 - 1

Manchester City

33': Mario Balotelli

About

Napoli are hosting Manchester City at San Paolo, , Italy, starting on . The match is a part of the UEFA Champions League.

Match Timeline

0': Join Declan Warrington at 1945 GMT to see if Manchester City can claim their place in the next round of the Champions League with a win over Napoli. Lose, and it could all get quite interesting.
0': David Silva thinks his side can go all the way this season.
0': It may only be their debut season, but Man City have impressed Napoli boss Walter Mazzarri who thinks they are as strong as Barca or Real Madrid.
0': There's no question tonight will provide a serious test of Manchester City's Champions League credentials.
0': For all of the talent within their squad and their impressive domestic form, their lack of Champions League know-how has seen them fail to reach the same level in Europe.
0': Joe Hart, who has been in excellent form for City this season, could be key again tonight. It was he that kept the scoreline respectable away at Bayern Munich, and he could be called upon again regularly tonight given the potential possessed by Napoli's front three of Lavezzi, Cavani and Hamsik.
0': City's greatest goal threats come from the superb David Silva, Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko, with perhaps the evening's major selection surprise being the inclusion of Sergio Aguero on the bench.
0': Should it go wrong at any stage for City, they have game changers on the bench in the form of Aguero, Adam Johnson and Samir Nasri.
0': Napoli, meanwhile, have Mario Santana and Goran Pandev on the bench, while Gokhan Inler will be relied upon to make them tick from midfield.
0': Teams are out on the pitch, and awaiting kick-off...
0': In other team news, City are without the in-form Micah Richards, while Mancini is obviously seeking a solid, less flamboyant approach in relying upon James Milner, Nigel De Jong and Yaya Toure in midfield for one of the most important games of their season to date.
0': In other team news, City are without the in-form Micah Richards, while Mancini is obviously seeking a solid, less flamboyant approach in relying upon James Milner, Nigel De Jong and Yaya Toure in midfield for one of the most important games of their season to date.
1': Napoli kick-off, with the Italians playing from right to left.
1': They instantly look to go forward but Vincent Kompany intercepts for City on the edge of the box...
1': City's offensive doesn't last either and the ball is back in defence.
2': Zabaleta crosses into the Napoli box but Dzeko fails to connect properly
3': Unsurprisingly hostile atmosphere in Italy...
3': City now passing the ball around patiently
3': Dzeko fails to find Milner with an overlap and instead cuts inside, City definitely adopting a patient approach early on.
4': Well defended from Kolarov. Prevents a cross. Napoli throw-in.
5': Throw-in wasted, Zabaleta now in possession for City
5': Plays a long ball for Dzeko who hugs the byline until playing a poor cross that's collected by De Sanctis in goal.
6': City now passing the ball around in defence
6': Shot from Yaya Toure flies over unthreateningly! Found space well, however, City rotating positions well and showing some flexibility.
7': Dzeko comes deep to support Silva and City spread possession across midfield
7': Shot from Balotelli curls wide but decent effort. Dzeko, however, would do well to stay up front and provide City with a focal point and allowing Balotelli to do the link-up work
8': Cavani goes down, claiming a foul on the edge of the City box but the ref waves play on and City break
9': But they lose possession and it's now Napoli's chance to break
9': Hamsik heads straight at Hart following Lavezzi's cross. Had lots of time and space, and was well positioned - should have done better.
9': An early warning for City not to get caught on the break.
10': City throw-in. Kolarov to take.
10': Kolarov, after being put into some space by Silva, wastes a good crossing opportunity that Napoli clear with ease. Throw-in.
11': Cannavaro dispossesses Balotelli and Hamsik breaks...
11': Lavezzi and Cavani link-up superbly with some one-touch football, which Lavezzi fires wide. Real danger for City and another warning against breaking in big numbers.
12': Napoli's front three have proved as entertaining as any in Europe this season.
12': City with the ball back in defence and patiently passing across the back four
12': Balotelli caught in possession and Napoli again look to launch an attack until Lavezzi overhits a cross-field pass and gifts City a throw-in
13': City again with the ball in defence
14': Toure passes to Kolarov who combines well with Dzeko before crossing into the box but the ref judges Kolarov to have fouled. Napoli free-kick.
15': Dossena crosses into City box but Napoli can't connect properly so it's a corner.
15': Lavezzi shoots again but Kompany blocks and Milner begins to break...
16': Before passing to Balotelli who wastes possession with poor control
16': Attack fizzles out and it's a Napoli goal-kick
17': Maggio takes Napoli throw-in...
17': Great save from Hart! Long range drive from Inler, out of nowhere, which was going in until Hart tipped over the bar. Lavezzi to take the corner
17': GOAL Napoli 1-0 Manchester City!
17': Joe Hart is absolutely fuming - Lavezzi crosses to the near post which Cavani tries to head in but the ball glides pass him, hits Kolarov and goes in. City in trouble early on.
18': Napoli have already proved how good they are playing counter-attacking football and City, now in need of a goal, will be more vulnerable than before
19': Napoli go close again! Again on the break - Cavani, making a good run, fires into the side netting which Hart appeared to have covered but it's another warning
20': Now it's City's turn! Dzeko and Silva combine well for Silva to curl in an effort but De Sanctis saves comfortably
21': Silva breaking again...
21': And gets into a dangerous position before slipping.
21': Aronica writhing on the floor following Zabaleta's environment. Level of contact remains unclear, however...
22': He takes the free-kick quickly and the ball returns to De Sanctis who kicks long
22': Kolarov, attacking from left-back, tries a cross but it's blocked and City hsve a throw-in
22': Which duly leads nowhere. De Sanctis again with the ball
23': Napoli free-kick following a rather innocuous foul.
24': Napoli waste possession as Cannavaro overhits a pass for a City throw-in
25': Napoli cross into the box but it's not close enough to Cavani and Hart collects.
26': Kompany defends excellently - intercepts a through-ball looking for Lavezzi which could have been dangerous.
26': Milner crossesin for Dzeko but Cannavaro gets a boot on the cross with the striker looking to head goalwards. Well defended. City corner
27': Corner comes to nothing but City have the ball in midfield with De Jong, Milner and Toure exchanging possession
27': City now passing the ball around in defence
28': Silva fires over. Selfishly. Had options but decided to shoot and it wasn't particularly close.
29': City with the ball in defence
29': Kolarov fouled. City free-kick in their own half
30': Heavy touch by Milner loses possession
30': City again exchanging possession at the back
31': Balotelli the next to selfishly shoot from distance. Decent effort but De Sanctis collects comfortably. City going to need to be more clinical and less individual
31': Nice skill from Milner who manages to keep possession despite being crowded, runs down the right-hand side and before being fouled for a free-kick
32': Silva lines up free-kick
32': Kolarov takes instead, curls the ball into the box poorly and Napoli clear with ease
32': Another long ball into the Napoli box doesn't quite reach Balotelli and De Sanctis collects
33': GOAL Napoli 1-1 Manchester City! Balotelli!
33': Out of nowhere - Aronica deflects a Kolarov cross to Silva who shoots at De Sanctis but the ball is rebounded to Balotelli who taps in with ease
34': City lucky with the goal but not necessarily lucky to be on even terms. Napoli have done relatively little since the opener
35': Foul by Maggio on Kolarov. Hart to take
36': City visibly lifted by the goal, passing more crisply and being more reasonably ambitious instead of unrealistic in their approach
37': Napoli throw-in
37': Balotelli tackled when he should have been trying to keep the ball and Napoli look to break...
37': Which they do, providing a shooting opportunity for Cavani who created space by Kompany before shooting over.
38': Milner wins the ball in midfield, this time on the left and looks to play Balotelli in
39': City corner
40': Kompany wins the header but sends the ball wide. Napoli goal-kick
40': City casually exchanging the ball again. Must be having the vast majority of the possession
41': City throw-in after possession is lost in midfield
42': Silva crosses into the box towards Dzeko but it's just too high for the striker and De Sanctis collects
43': Kolarov shoots following Dzeko's lay off but De Sanctis saves well. Napoli now breaking
44': But City again intercept and Toure and De Jong look to build patiently
44': Balotelli, meanwhile, looks in some discomfort
44': Balotelli overhits a cross but Silva collects before winning a corner. Chance to go ahead just before half-time
44': Milner to take the corner
44': Dzeko wins the header but it's harmlessly over. Goal-kick
45': Napoli now spreading the ball nicely
45': 1 minute stoppage time to be played...
45': Ref blows the whistle for half-time following Hart's goal-kick.
0': City the better side after Napoli went in front, but Napoli have defended well and limited City to long range efforts, on the whole.
0': Game still very much wide open, but little need for Mancini to yet turn to one of his many substitutes unless, of course, Balotelli's discomfort means he has to come off.
0': Feel free to tweet any comments or thoughts on the game to @ESPNsoccernet
0': For those interested, England manager Fabio Capello is attending tonight's fixture...
0': As the live table stands, Bayern are clear on 13 points, City have 8, Napoli have 6 and Villarreal have 0.
0': ...Stresses the need for City to win tonight - without doing so they'll have to beat Bayern next week which could be very difficult.
0': Teams back out for the second-half, while David Platt admits City need to be sensible in possession...
0': City's turn to kick-off, of course...
46': And we're underway again
46': Napoli cross intercepted and cleared by Zabaleta.
46': City throw-in
47': Napoli waste a shooting opportunity after a poor touch from Cavani but it's a reminder of City again losing possession cheaply
47': City now passing in defence
48': Milner tackled but Hamsik's ball to Lavezzi is slightly overhit and it's a City goal-kick.
49': City again lose possession. Napoli now with the ball in defence
49': GOAL Napoli 2-1 Manchester City! Cavani!
49': Out of nowhere! Cavani fires in his 4th goal in 5 Champions League games after a cutback from Dossena provides a shooting opportunity on the edge of the box. Hart could have done better but it was a very good finish.
50': City now under big pressure, as they need to win tonight.
51': Same problem as before in that they now seriously risk getting countered
51': Hamsik shot blocked as City are under pressure again. Lescott blockes the shot before the ball is headed out for a goal-kick.
53': Napoli spreading possession comfortably again
53': Before trying a through-ball that runs out for a goal-kick
54': De Sanctis collects the loose ball And kicks long but it eventually reaches Hart.
54': Lescott now with possession
54': Balotelli boooked for arguing after a foul is awarded against him
55': Frustration appearing within City's ranks?
55': City now lacking the patience they ended the first-half with and panicking in possession. Stray passes creeping into their game.
56': Lescott forces a pass from defence and Napoli intercept. Poor again.
57': Inler in some discomfort so the ball is kicked out...
57': Inler off, Dzemaili on
58': City trying to work their way forward but looking like they're bereft of ideas
59': Important challenge by De Jong winnning possession back for City but again, they don't seem to know what to do with the ball.
60': Time to introduce one or more of Johnson, Aguero or Nasri?
60': Silva coming deeper to collect the ball and get more involved
60': City's cross headed clear. Throw-in
60': Now a City free-kick from a good crossing position on the right
60': Promising cross towards Dzeko and Balotelli but Dzeko can't quite make contact with the ball and it's out for a goal kick
61': Silva booked for dissent
62': Wlel defender from Cannavaro who intercepts the ball from Dzeko before clearing. Good performance from him so far tonight
63': Napoli clearly happy to allow City to attack as they're now playing increasingly deep. A clear attempt to begin playing on the counter
63': Good passing by City creates a shooting chance for Balotelli but he fires wide. Not that it matters, because the Italian was offside, anyway
64': City throw-in. They're gradually edging forward and seem to be less desperate than before. Encouraging for City fans that they're more calculated.
65': Cross from Milner collected by De Sanctis. Too high for anyone to head.
66': Lavezzi offside after some nice passing from Napoli. City free-kick
67': Silva back in defence now trying to start attacks. City on the break with Milner..
67': Well defended by Napoli, forcing City back into defence to look for space
69': Samir Nasri warming up...
69': Terrible touch by Kolarov, loses possession and wastes a promising City move
69': ..from which Napoli break. Lavezzi escapes Kompany and shoots before producing a good save from Hart. Corner
70': Hart catches the corner... City now building gradually
70': Nasri waiting on the sidelines, ready to come on
71': De Jong off, Nasri on
71': Positive move from Mancini with City really needing a goal.
71': Kompany blocks Lavezzi's dangerous looking cross. City looking to attack again
71': Kolarov cross is poor when aiming for Dzeko. De Sanctis to take the resulting free-kick
72': Napoli escape with a blatant handball there, much to Balotelli's obvious disgust
73': City again exchanging possession in defence
74': Zabaleta cross headed clear. City throw-in
74': Balotelli plays a poor pass to Toure. Far from his best tonight.
75': Boos ringing at around the crowd with City comfortably keeping possession but failing to threaten Napoli
75': Napoli defending well, very organised side.
76': Silva felled on the edge of the box but the ref waves play on and Napoli are breaking
76': Hamsik hits the post! That could have been game over for City. Great footwork from Hamsik to cut inside and beat Hart but the finish wasn't quite good enough.
77': City again lacking invention and inspiration. Repeating the same moves and passes with little success
78': Great through-ball over the top for Balotelli which the striker controls before shooting at De Sanctis! Decent effort, deserved a goal.
79': Poor defending now from City gives Maggio a scoring chance but Hart saves brilliantly. Lucky again for City - Hart to thank.
80': Balotelli clearly feels he was fouled there but tries not to react.
81': Last ten minutes of normal time remain.
81': Aguero now set to come on (against the former side of his father-in-law, Diego Maradona)
82': Aguero on, Dzeko off
83': Good play by City gives Nasri the chance to cross for Balotelli. It's a great cross and Balotelli jumps well, but the striker heads over.
83': Change for Napoli...
83': Cavani, scorer of both of Napoli's goals, is replaced by 2010 Champions League winner Goran Pandev
84': City playing the ball from the back. Not currently looking like scoring
84': Aguero wins City a corner after a foray into Napoli's box ends with his cross getting blocked.
85': Another good save from De Sanctis! Balotelli gets a shot away after the corner but the Italian 'keeper saves well.
85': Zabaleta off, Johnson on.
86': Aguero shoots but De Sanctis saves! Corner to City.
86': Foul by Kolarov.
86': Professional foul, can't be any arguments.
87': Napoli launch a long ball forward from the free-kick but Hart saves.
88': Kolarov wastes two opportunities to get the ball into the Napoli box, the first a poor cross and the second a shot...
88': Dossena off, Fernandez on.
89': Little time for remaining for City to equalise
89': Johnson cross blocked. Napoli try to break but Kompany intercepts.
90': City again with all the possession, but Napoli defending superbly against them.
90': City throw-in.
90': Napoli win the ball but fail to break after a poor cross. City launch another attack after Hart throws the ball out
90': Late drama almost! Poor Lescott pass back almost gifts Napoli a tap-in but Hart rushes in and intervenes
90': Less than 90 seconds of the 3 mins stoppage time remaining
90': Napoli defend well from Balotelli. City have the ball again and enough time for one last attack.
90': Johnson really overhits a cross and it gives Napoli a goal-kick. Probably their last chance gone, now
90': Full-time! Referee signals the end of the game. Napoli 2-1 Manchester City
0': Despite having most of the possession, City's lack of intelligence was their downfall tonight. They ran out of ideas early on as Napoli's tactics worked perfectly.
0': The Italians defended very well and were very organised, allowing City the keep possession while ensuring that possession was largely unthreatening.
0': City lacked the necessary composure to get a result tonight, and the front two of Dzeko and Balotelli were, in particular, largely unimpressive. Disappointing for Mancini.
0': The result leaves City one point behind Napoli, so they must now beat Bayern Munich in their next game to give them any chance of progressing. However, a win for Napoli over Villarreal, who have lost five from five in the group stages, means City are out regardless.
0': Tweet your thoughts and comments on the game to @ESPNsoccernet

Statistics

MNC		NAP
11	Fouls	10
4	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
2	Offsides	1
5	Corner Kicks	3
3	Saves	7
70.1	Possession	29.9
17	SHOTS	13
8	ON GOAL	5
0.5	On Target %	0.4
0	Penalty Goals	0
0	Penalty Kicks Taken	0
627	Accurate Passes	214
692	Passes	291
0.9	Pass Completion %	0.7
6	Accurate Crosses	5
30	Crosses	12
0.2	Cross %	0.4
53	Long Balls	60
42	Accurate Long Balls	27
0.8	Long Balls %	0.5
1	Blocked Shots	2
11	Effective Tackles	26
14	Tackles	30
0.8	Tackle %	0.9
0	Interceptions	0
7	Effective Clearances	19
10	Clearances	29

Game Information

Competition: UEFA Champions League

Venue: San Paolo
Location: , Italy
Attendance: 53,000

UEFA Champions League Table

#	TEAM	GP	GD	PTS
1	Ajax Amsterdam	0	0	0
2	Arsenal	0	0	0
3	Atalanta	0	0	0
4	Athletic Club	0	0	0

Full Table

Line-Ups

Napoli (3-4-3)

No.	Name
1	Morgan De Sanctis (GK)
28	Paolo Cannavaro
6	Salvatore Aronica
14	Hugo Campagnaro
23	Walter Gargano
88	Gökhan Inler
8	Andrea Dossena
11	Christian Maggio
7	Edinson Cavani
22	Ezequiel Lavezzi
17	Marek Hamsik

Napoli Substitutes:

Mario Santana, Gianluca Grava, Federico Fernández, Giuseppe Mascara, Antonio Rosati, Goran Pandev, Blerim Džemaili.

Manchester City (4-4-2)

No.	Name
25	Joe Hart (GK)
6	Joleon Lescott
4	Vincent Kompany
13	Aleksandar Kolarov
5	Pablo Zabaleta
42	Yaya Touré
34	Nigel de Jong
7	James Milner
21	David Silva
10	Edin Dzeko
45	Mario Balotelli

Manchester City Substitutes:

Gareth Barry, Adam Johnson, Stefan Savic, Sergio Agüero, Costel Pantilimon, Samir Nasri, Gaël Clichy.

UEFA Champions League News

Van Dijk's warm welcome for Alexander Isak

Virgil van Dijk was on hand to welcome Alexander Isak to Liverpool's training ground.

Barcelona's Camp Nou return delayed again: When will they be back?

Barcelona closed Europe's largest stadium for renovations in May 2023. They were meant to return in 18 months, but they still don't know when they'll be back.

Maresca cautious on the fitness of Cole Palmer

Chelsea boss Enzo Mareca says they are "trying" to get Cole Palmer fit for their match vs. West Ham this Saturday.

Slot: Don't expect Isak to play 90 minutes every week

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has called for patience when it comes to Alexander Isak due to the striker's lack of preseason with Newcastle.

Metropolitano to host '27 Champions League final, Warsaw gets women's event

The 2027 men's Champions League final will be staged at Atlético Madrid's Metropolitano Stadium and the women's event will be held at Warsaw's National Stadium.