Bundesliga
Frankfurt out of Champions League after Napoli loss
UEFA Europa League winners last season, Eintracht Frankfurt are out of the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League after losing their last-16 tie to Napoli.
Napoli 3-0 Eintracht Frankfurt (agg: 5-0)
Goals: 1-0 Osimhen 45'+2 (assist: Politano), 2-0 Osimhen 53' (assist: Di Lorenzo), 3-0 Zielinski pen. 64'
Trailing 2-0 from the first leg and without top scorer Randal Kolo Muani, Eintracht needed Kevin Trapp to be at his best to fend off Matteo Politano’s 20-yard strike inside the opening minute. The Eagles responded in kind as Kim Min-jae deflected a shot from Ansgar Knauff off target, while Rafael Borre flashed a header from a corner just wide. Trapp twice foiled Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, before Napoli extended their aggregate lead through former Wolfsburg striker Victor Osimhen’s unstoppable header on the stroke of half time.
Napoli struck again soon after the restart, when Osimhen applied the finishing touch to a flowing team move. Frankfurt refused to give up the ghost, though, as Daichi Kamada fired straight at Alex Meret and Borre sent an acrobatic effort wide. Trapp underlined his standing as one of Germany’s best goalkeepers with a full-stretch save to thwart Kvaratskhelia, but could not stop Napoli adding a third of the night. After drawing the foul from Djibril Sow, Piotr Zielinski stepped up to convert from the penalty spot and rubber-stamp the Serie A leaders’ place in the quarters.
Match stats
- Eintracht were playing their first season of Champions League football.
- Osimhen failed to score in 16 competitive appearances for Wolfsburg.
- Kamada is Frankfurt’s all-time top scorer in UEFA competitions with 14 goals in 37 appearances.
- Frankfurt won all three away fixtures in the knockout stages of the Europa League last season – winning at Real Betis, Barcelona and West Ham on the way to lifting the trophy.
- Frankfurt beat Napoli 1-0 on their only previous visit to Naples – in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup in December 1994.
- Napoli have won five, but lost seven of 14 European matches against German clubs.
Teams
Napoli: Meret - Di Lorenzo (c), Rrahmani, Kim (Juan Jesus 66'), Mario Rui - Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski (Ndombele 74') - Politano (Lozano 66'), Osimhen (Simeone 81'), Kvaratskhelia (Elmas 74')
Unused subs: Gollini, Idasiak, Bereszynski, Olivera, Ostigard, Gaetano
Out: Raspadori (thigh)
Coach: Luciano Spalletti
Frankfurt: Trapp - Buta, Tuta, Ndicka - Knauff (Alidou 62'), Rode (c) (Jakic 74'), Sow, Lenz (Max 67') - Kamada, Götze - Borre
Unused subs: Horz, Ramaj, Chandler, Hasebe, Smolcic, Toure, Alario
Out: Dina Ebimbe (ankle), Grahl (ineligible), Kolo Muani (suspended), Lindstrom (ankle), Wenig (ineligible)
Coach: Oliver Glasner
As it happened
3 - 0(1 - 0)
Napoli
FINAL
Frankfurt
vs
Full-time: Napoli 3-0 Frankfurt
Frankfurt are beaten but unbowed. They exit the Champions League having invested a great effort into overturning the two-goal first leg deficit. After Napoli struck just before half-time, there was just no stopping the Italian side's quality from then on.
0 - 0
End of second half
90'
vs
Two minutes of stoppage time indicated
Time is running out for Frankfurt to grab a goal.
88'
vs
Kamada and Max
The Japanese attacker finds the German wing man, who has been a handful since his introduction. He drills the ball in but Meret gathers it.
84'
vs
Frankfurt corner
Buta's ball in is turned behind for a corner. Max swings a cross in and Meret saves. This is a brave attacking salvo from a Frankfurt side eager to regain some pride.
83'
vs
Alidou puts it in
Some good wing play from the Frankfurt substitute to shimmy and ping a cross in, but Lobotka clears.
80'
vs
Ten minutes remain
The curtain is about to fall on Frankfurt's Champions League campaign. The flurry of late substitutions has taken a bit of the rhythm out of the game, but the visitors are still closing down the Napoli players and giving their all.
77'
vs
Frankfurt corner
Max swings a good free-kick in that Osimhen heads behind for a corner. Max's corner is then cleared before Frankfurt can threaten.
76'
vs
Napoli still attacking
Osimhen remains a livewire as Napoli look for more goals. Frankfurt would enjoy getting a goal or two back, but they are not finding chances easy to come by.
74'
vs
Kristijan Jakić
Sebastian Rode
69'
vs
Eagles not soaring
You have to really feel for Frankfurt tonight. You cannot fault their application at all, but Napoli have shown once again why they are running away with Serie A this season - leaving the likes of Inter and AC Milan well behind them.
67'
vs
Philipp Max
Christopher Lenz
65'
vs
Mario Götze
62'
vs
Faride Alidou
Ansgar Knauff
64'
vs
Three-nil
Trapp saved a spot kick in the first leg, but is beaten this time. Frankfurt look to be heading out of the Champions League with a defeat.
62'
vs
Penalty to Napoli
Zielinski is brought down by Sow and Anthony Taylor points to the spot.
61'
vs
Trapp flies to save
Yet another good attack from Napoli. Kvaratskhelia cuts inside dangerously and takes aim at the far post, only for Trapp to dive across and save.
59'
vs
Borre bicycle kick
Frankfurt have not given up! Kamada wheels forward and the ball bobbles up to Borre, who gets an acrobatic shot away, but off target.
58'
vs
Kamada opportunity
Borre feeds the ball across for Kamada, who meets it in the six-yard box in a move similar to Napoli's second goal. He can only hit the ball into Meret, however. That was certainly one of Frankfurt's better chances tonight!
53'
vs
Osimhen again
The Nigerian scores his second, and third of the tie, by turning in Politano's drilled cross from close range. Frankfurt are four down on aggregate now.
52'
vs
Kim effort
The Napoli centre-back ventures forward and hits a shot wide.
50'
vs
Slow start
Napoli have been passing the ball around - rather slowly - as they seek to keep control and run the clock down a little. It will be tough for Frankfurt to get something from this tie.
46'
vs
Back underway
We're back in action in Naples with Frankfurt needing three goals in the second half to keep this tie alive.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
45' +2
vs
How cruel for Frankfurt!
They have battled right throughout the half but fall behind just on the stroke of the interval. Politano whips in a cross and a remarkable header from the Nigerian flies straight past Trapp.
45'
vs
Two additional minutes indicated
Napoli go on the attack, but Rode blocks them with some solid defending.
43'
vs
Kvaratskhelia falls into a Trapp
Another great run from the Napoli attacker gets him through on the Frankfurt keeper, but Trapp comes out really well to get a block on his shot and turn it behind for a corner.
41'
vs
Lobotka treated
The Napoli man goes down under a challenge from Rode. A tough but fair challenge, and he limps away after receiving some treatment but plays on.
39'
vs
On a knife edge
The tension is palpable in Naples. You'd think there has to be goals in this. If the first one goes Frankfurt's way, it will be game on, if it goes to Napoli, it would make things extremely difficult.
35'
vs
Small slowdown
We've had a few minutes without any chances. Napoli have been passing the ball around well. Every single inch remains keenly contested in this game though!
32'
vs
Yellow for Lenz
Anthony Taylor shows the left-back a card for a challenge on Di Lorenzo.
32'
vs
Christopher Lenz
30'
vs
Another Knauff delivery
A lot of Frankfurt's attacking has gone down the right channel manned by Knauff. It's a good ball in but the defender does his job just before Borre can meet it.
28'
vs
Knauff cross
The ball is delivered from the right with three Frankfurt men trying to meet it. Di Lorenzo clears. Credit to the Bundesliga side though for riding out a spell of Napoli pressure and going toe-to-toe again with the Serie A leaders!
26'
vs
Booking for Ndicka
The defender sees yellow for manhandling Osimhen.
26'
vs
Evan Ndicka
25'
vs
Kamada tries to find Borre
A couple of Napoli defenders surround the Colombian, however. It has been difficult for Frankfurt to find space going forward despite their best efforts.
19'
vs
Kvaratskhelia dribble
Now he's shown what all the talk is about! Zielinski wins the ball off Sow and the Napoli attacker takes it to go on a mazy run past the Frankfurt defence. He sends in a testing shot from a tight angle that requires Trapp to react well to save.
15'
vs
Ndicka clears
Di Lorenzo chases down the flank well and whips a dangerous cross in that the Frankfurt defender steers clear. Osimhen then has a shot that Trapp saves. Napoli are building up a bit of attacking momentum here with some extremely sharp play.
14'
vs
Decent start
It's been a very keenly contested and high-quality encounter so far. Both sides have two shots each, with the hosts enjoying 66% possession.
12'
vs
Kvaratskhelia can't find the target
In fact the Georgian striker curls his shot so much it goes out for a throw-in. A reminder nonetheless of Napoli's danger as they worked the ball to him very quickly.
10'
vs
Borre!
A chance from the resulting corner but Borre heads just wide. Frankfurt have been the better team so far.
9'
vs
Kamada shot
A pot shot from the Japanese attacker from 20 metres out takes a deflection and goes behind for a corner. Glasner applauds Frankfurt's solid start on the sidelines.
6'
vs
Encouraging opening
Borre crosses the ball from the right into Götze in the box. The World Cup winner can't get a shot away, but Frankfurt's combativeness and positivity has been good!
4'
vs
Midfield tussles
Frankfurt have shown they are going to put everything into this. There have been a few tasty challenges in midfield already, with Sow and Anguissa coming together in one to fiercely contest possession.
2'
vs
Trapp saves
The Frankfurt goalkeeper is into action early, diving to stop a Politano drive in the box.
First-leg report
Despite Kevin Trapp's penalty save, Eintracht Frankfurt lost the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie with Napoli 2-0, not helped by Randal Kolo Muani's second-half sending off.
Eintracht Frankfurt 0-2 Napoli
Goals: 0-1 Osimhen 40', 0-2 Di Lorenzo 58'
Red card: Kolo Muani 65'
Having enjoyed an unbeaten run to UEFA Europa League glory last season, Frankfurt were daring to dream of another spectacular European night at the Deutsche Bank Park. Kolo Muani shot across goal and Mario Götze drove wide as the Eagles made a confident start, before Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret prevented Philipp Max heading in Aurelio Buta’s cross. Napoli responded through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who tested the reflexes of Trapp. The Frankfurt goalkeeper then pulled off a superb penalty save from the same player, but was powerless to prevent former Wolfsburg striker Victor Osimhen converting from close range late in the first half.
Frankfurt were up against it as Osimhen had a second goal ruled out for offside, before Trapp rode to his side’s rescue with a strong save to beat away Hirving Lozano’s 20-yard shot. The Germany international kept Eintracht in the game when he blocked at the feet of Kvaratskhelia, but Oliver Glasner’s team were left with a mountain to climb in the 56th minute when Kolo Muani was shown a straight red card for a dangerous challenge on Frank Anguissa. Although Giovanni Di Lorenzo doubled the visitors’ lead soon after, Frankfurt knew a goal would blow the tie wide open ahead of the second leg on 15 March. Daichi Kamada almost got it, the Japan international firing straight at Meret in the closing stages.