Real Madrid Can Be Confident of Champions League Progression After Napoli Draw

With Real Madrid's ticket coming out of the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 draw so early on, there was a brief moment when the club's fate in Europe was, excitingly, completely open.

Unlike some of their rivals who already knew what was coming—Barcelona weren't drawn last but were the only team Paris Saint-Germain could face; Arsenal could feasibly have been paired with anyone on the opposite half but were only really going to get Bayern Munich—Real still had four of their initial five possible opponents still available.

Napoli came out next.

A moment to ponder...and then comes the relish. It's neither a mismatch nor an oft-repeated fixture in recent campaigns, but from a Madrid perspective, it is a matchup which is certainly winnable across the two legs if the team is at full capacity.

It's almost the perfect European challenge; a side who should be bested over 180 minutes, but also one that will make Real Madrid fight all the way, showcase all their qualities and prepare impeccably for the tie. Anything less and it'll be a swift exit for the holders.

All things being equal, though, it's Los Blancos who will go into the round of 16 as favourites, and they should progress after two exciting fixtures.

SWOT Analysis

These will be two teams with plenty of quality players on show, but Real Madrid have the higher proportion of top-end talent. They also have form on their side this year, despite Napoli being group winners and Real only the runners-up for this draw.

Napoli sit fifth in Serie A, eight points off leaders Juventus and with three league defeats to their name this term, while Los Blancos are undefeated in 35 matches under manager Zinedine Zidane, without a single loss this term in any competition. That might not be the case by the time these games roll around in February, but it's indicative of the relative strength of the two teams—and why Madrid will be favourites.

It also perhaps (along with other draws in the round of 16) indicates why finishing top in the group isn't as big an incentive as it previously was, but that's a matter for another day.

Real's big strengths this season have been in their midfield depth, their ability to take matches all the way until the 90th minute—and beyond, when Sergio Ramos plays—and in a huge variance in goalscorers throughout the squad.

From every position, every player is capable of contributing to finding the back of the net, and that's not something Napoli can boast.

Enrico Locci/Getty Images

Until recently, the Italian team's goalscorers were confined largely to a group of three: Jose Callejon, Marek Hamsik and Lorenzo Insigne, though admittedly, that's due in large part to the long-term injury to striker Arkadiusz Milik. However, Dries Mertens has netted four in his last two games to join that crowd and give Napoli a boost, though he's by no means a regular scorer.

Close out the supply line to the regular Napoli hitmen, and perhaps Madrid can take a big step towards victory. If the Italians attempt the same to Karim Benzema or Cristiano Ronaldo, there's always Ramos, James Rodriguez, Alvaro Morata...or anyone else.

European Atmosphere

The Santiago Bernabeu can be an intimidating place for visiting teams, but so too is Napoli's home ground, Stadio San Paolo.

Madrid director and legendary player Emilio Butragueno placed a lot of emphasis on the importance of a good opening leg for his team, per the club website:

"

We are going to have the first game at home and we have to get a good result. The second-leg is away and we know what the atmosphere will be like in their stadium. For them it will be an extraordinary motivation to come up against Real Madrid.

Napoli have a very good coach and have improved a lot in recent years. It will be a very difficult opponent. At home we have to be very solid, get a good result to take us to the draw for the quarter-final.

"

Of course, more than one member of Napoli's squad know all about playing and winning at the Bernabeu. Former Los Blancos forward Callejon is one of their most important players, while centre-back Raul Albiol is, like his team-mate, an ex-Madrid man.

Then there's goalkeeper Pepe Reina, never one to wear the white but certainly one happy to take victory against Madrid, be it for Barcelona, Villarreal or Liverpool.

Objective: Retention

Nobody has managed it yet, but Real Madrid are aiming to become the first side to win back-to-back Champions League titles in the current format.

Speaking on stage at the draw in Switzerland, former AC Milan midfielder Ruud Gullit suggested it was easier to do in his era—he won it in 1989 and 1990 with the Italian side—as there were fewer matches and the quality of players was spread around more, rather than the concentration seen today at the likes of Juventus, Barcelona, Bayern or Real Madrid.

There's no doubt Zidane and his side are capable of competing in the latter stages and winning against any team on any given day, but to do so relentlessly—without a single slip—for a second year in a row is a huge ask.

Even more so when considering the fact Madrid's real objective this season is to claim the throne in La Liga, too often perched upon by those at the Camp Nou in recent campaigns.

One step at a time, though, and Madrid will strongly feel they can take the next one by beating Napoli.