Bundesliga
Disciplined Frankfurt hold Napoli
Eintracht Frankfurt earned a valuable point on UEFA Champions League Matchday 4 with a disciplined defensive showing in a goalless draw at Serie A leaders Napoli.
Napoli 0-0 Eintracht Frankfurt
Given that Frankfurt suffered 5-1 defeats in their previous two outings in the competition, against both Liverpool and Atlético de Madrid, it was perhaps understandable that head coach Dino Toppmöller set his side up defensively against the Italian champions, with the Eagles in a 5-4-1 against the ball at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Still, they managed to have the game’s first chance when Jean-Mattéo Bahoya drilled straight at Vanja Milinković-Savić from the edge of the box inside three minutes.
That was about as good as it got going forward from a Frankfurt perspective in the first half, as the Eagles were otherwise pinned back near their own penalty area for large periods.
RB Leipzig loanee Eljif Elmas was particularly lively down the left for Napoli, but although the home side had more of the ball they struggled to create any real danger against a resolute Eintracht rearguard.
Elmas was involved again early in the second half as Napoli carved out their clearest opportunity, the North Macedonian attacker scampering down the left and crossing into the middle for Scott McTominay, but he could only scuff his shot wide from close to the penalty spot.
Ansgar Knauff could have put Frankfurt in front against the run of play when Napoli failed to clear Rasmus Kristensen’s cross from the right, but his stinging drive from the corner of the six-yard box was palmed away by Milinković-Savić.
McTominay could have won it for the hosts in the closing stages when Frank Anguissa escaped his marker down the right and cut the ball back into the box for the former Manchester United midfielder, but he skewed his first-time effort well over the bar.
Match stats
- This was only the second time in 15 games this season that Frankfurt failed to find the net.
- It was the third clean sheet the Eagles claimed this season after a Bundesliga match against St. Pauli and DFB Cup tie vs. Engers.
- Frankfurt beat Napoli 2-0 on aggregate in the 1994/95 UEFA Cup round of 16, but went down 5-0 over two legs at the same stage in the 2022/23 Champions League.
- Injured Napoli midfielder Kevin De Bruyne made 85 Bundesliga appearances across spells with Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg, registering 23 goals and 36 assists.
- Napoli’s Jesper Lindstrøm, who is currently on loan at Wolfsburg, was part of the Frankfurt team that went unbeaten on their way to winning the 2021/22 Europa League.
Teams
Napoli: Milinković-Savić - Di Lorenzo (c), Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Gutiérrez - Anguissa, Lobotka (Lang 74'), McTominay - Politano (Neres 65'), Højlund, ElmasUnused subs: Contini, Ferrante, Jesus, Olivera, Vergara, Buekema, AmbrosinoOut: De Bruyne (hamstring), Gilmour (groin), Lucca (suspended), Lukaku (hamstring), Meret (foot), Spinazzola (groin)Coach: Antonio Conte
Frankfurt: Zetterer - Collins, Koch (c), Theate - Kristensen, Chaïbi (Dahoud 90'+3), Larsson (Skhiri 79'), Brown (Amenda 90'+3) - Götze, Bahoya (Knauff 65') - BurkardtUnused subs: Grahl, Kauã Santos, Wahi, Dōan, Chandler, Buta, BatshuayiOut: Baum (hamstring), Højlund (thigh), Ngankam (ineligible), Uzun (hamstring)Coach: Dino Toppmöller
As it happened!
0 - 0(0 - 0)
Napoli
FINAL
Frankfurt
90' +5
vs
Late Napoli pressure
The hosts head forward for a final attacking salvo, winning a corner and Højlund forcing a save from Zetterer with a volley.
90' +3
vs
Mahmoud Dahoud
Farès Chaïbi
90' +3
vs
Aurèle Amenda
Nathaniel Brown
90'
vs
Five additional minutes indicated
Zetterer is penalised for time wasting as his side come within minutes of a valuable away point.
90'
vs
Michael Zetterer
89'
vs
Di Lorenzo over
Napoli come forward again, but Di Lorenzo blasts well clear of the crossbar after the ball falls to him on the edge of the area.
86'
vs
Brown gets to the edge of the box
Yet again Frankfurt create some danger, with Nathaniel Brown chasing to the edge of the box from the left and firing what could have been a shot or a cross well off-target.
83'
vs
McTominay misses
A dangerous moment occurs straight after that Frankfurt corner, as Napoli break and McTominay is found all alone at the far post but blasts over.
82'
vs
Another Frankfurt corner
The boys in black are pushing as we enter the final phase, but Napoli clear with ease...
80'
vs
Frankfurt threaten from a corner
Koch has a header cleared shortly after Chaïbi sends the corner in, and a dangerous Götze cross from the right is accidentally turned on his own goal by Gutiérrez before it is saved.
79'
vs
Ellyes Skhiri
Hugo Larsson
78'
vs
Gutiérrez goes wide
The Napoli full-back takes aim from the left and misses handsomely.
76'
vs
Theate hooks the ball away
The ball runs loose around the Frankfurt area, and Arthur Theate does wonderfully to smash clear.
73'
vs
Knauff could have grabbed the lead!
Götze works the ball over to Knauff on the left of the area, with a little help from a defender, and the substitute smashes a shot in that Milinković-Savić does well to save.
68'
vs
Koch blocks McTominay
The ball reaches the Scottish midfielder in the box, but Robin Koch is right over to get a block in!
65'
vs
Attacking switch
Ansgar Knauff, who some may have been surprised not to see named in the starting line-up tonight, is brought on to try to make an impact in the final 25 minutes.
65'
vs
Ansgar Knauff
Jean-Mattéo Bahoya
64'
vs
Ouch!
Jonathan Burkardt trips over a television camera on the sideline, and the game is paused while he can receive some treatment.
62'
vs
Another Napoli corner
Elmas clips the ball in from the left, but Frankfurt are remaining alert at the back. There might be signs this game is opening up a little though...
59'
vs
Kristensen tries to seize the initiative
The Frankfurt full-back bursts past Gutiérrez before blasting a shot wide, and is penalised for a foul in any case.
57'
vs
Pair of Napoli corners
The hosts respond with a good spell of their own. Two corners in quick succession lead only to a free-kick to Frankfurt though when Zetterer is fouled in the box.
52'
vs
Chaïbi cuts one in
Frankfurt's fine spell continues, with the ball being worked around to Chaïbi just outside the area, whose shot rolls along the ground to Milinković-Savić.
51'
vs
Burkardt bundled down
The first booking of the game goes the hosts' way as Burkardt chases a ball hit behind the defence and gets blocked by Rrahmani.
50'
vs
Amir Rrahmani
48'
vs
First corner to Frankfurt
The Eagles do go on the front foot at the start of the second half and win the game's first corner, which Chaïbi whips in from the left, but Napoli clear.
46'
vs
Off we go again
The Bundesliga outfit start the second half - let's see if they take a riskier approach, or will they be happy to see this through for an away point?
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
45'
vs
Into stoppage time
We are due an additional minute in Naples.
40'
vs
Anguissa over
Elmas and Gutiérrez link up on the left before it is cut back to Anguissa, who fires well over the bar from 20 yards out.
33'
vs
Di Lorenzo takes aim
Napoli finally work the ball to the edge of the Eintracht area once more, but Arthur Theate is out right away to block his shot.
29'
vs
No real advantage
For all Napoli's possession, the Bundesliga side's defence have done a fine job at restricting them so far.
%% NOT TRANSLATED: LIVE_STATS_Shots %%
For all Napoli's possession, the Bundesliga side's defence have done a fine job at restricting them so far.
26'
vs
Quieter...
Frankfurt have successfully kept Napoli well away from their goal for the past five minutes, as perhaps they are getting more of a foothold on the play...
21'
vs
Frankfurt free-kick
There is a scramble in the Frankfurt area after Elmas clips a free-kick in from the left, but Buongiorno is penalised for a foul.
18'
vs
Eagles emerge
Frankfurt get a rare spell on the ball in the Napoli half. It's played back to Koch, who floats a high pass into the area intended for Kristensen that eventually runs out of play for a Napoli throw-in.
15'
vs
Napoli on the ball
The hosts are bossing the early possession...
%% NOT TRANSLATED: LIVE_STATS_Possession (%) %%
The hosts are bossing the early possession...
12'
vs
Elmas again!
The attacker twists into the area and fires an effort in that Zetterer saves.
11'
vs
Elmas effort
The attacker on loan from Leipzig fires well over from just outside the area.
9'
vs
Frankfurt sitting back
The Eagles, perhaps with their recent heavy defeats against Atletico Madrid and Liverpool in mind, are getting plenty of players back and soaking up the hosts' attempts to attack by passing the ball around in their half.
6'
vs
Zetterer springs into action
The Eintracht goalkeeper gets out to block Højlund with his feet after Gutiérrez played a dangerous cross into the area from the left.
3'
vs
Bahoya has a go
Jean-Mattéo Bahoya fires the first shot of the evening in, drilling an effort from the edge of the area straight to Milinković-Savić after Brown won the ball around the halfway line.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
vs
Up against it
A win for Frankfurt tonight would be quite a coup, as Napoli have lost only one of their previous 18 home matches in the Champions League.
151s
vs
Burkardt in beast mode
The Frankfurt striker is the only player at the club on two goals already in the Champions League's league phase.
vs
Napoli starting XI
Milinković-Savić - Di Lorenzo (c), Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Gutiérrez - Anguissa, Lobotka, McTominay - Politano, Højlund, Elmas
vs
Napoli subs
Contini, Ferrante, Jesus, Neres, Olivera, Vergara, Buekema, Ambrosino, Lang
vs
Frankfurt starting XI
Zetterer - Collins, Koch (c), Theate - Kristensen, Chaïbi, Larsson, Brown - Götze, Bahoya - Burkardt
vs
Frankfurt subs
Grahl, Kauã Santos, Amenda, Knauff, Skhiri, Wahi, Dahoud, Dōan, Chandler, Buta, Batshuayi