Napoli vs. Real Madrid: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info for UCL Match

Napoli have a challenging task on their hands if they are to oust UEFA Champions League holders Real Madrid from the 2016-17 competition when they face off in the last-16 second leg at the Stadio San Paolo on Tuesday.

Trailing 3-1 from the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, the Italian side will be eager to claim an early goal to generate tension in the Madrid ranks.

Keeping a clean sheet will give Napoli their best chance of making it through to the quarter-finals—a 2-0 win would see them advance on away goals—but that will prove a huge challenge against free-scoring Real.

Read on for a full preview of the action, along with the latest team news and scheduling information.

Date: Tuesday, March 7

Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT, 2:45 p.m. ET

TV Info: BT Sport 3 (UK), Fox Sports 2 (U.S.)

Live Stream: BT Sport Player, Fox Sports Go

Team News

Per AS, Real manager Zinedine Zidane made a number of changes for Los Blancos' 4-1 La Liga victory over Eibar on Saturday in order to keep some key players fresh for the Napoli clash.

Dani Carvajal, Marcelo, Toni Kroos and Isco were all on the bench, Cristiano Ronaldo was omitted from the squad due to "a niggle" and Gareth Bale was suspended.

The majority of those absentees should return to the starting lineup on Tuesday.

Possible Napoli XI: Reina; Hysaj, Albiol, Koulibaly, Ghoulam; Zielinski, Diawara, Hamsik; Callejon, Mertens, Insigne

Possible Real XI: Navas; Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo

Preview

All Real need to do to make life difficult for Napoli on Tuesday is score a goal. 

If they cancel out Lorenzo Insigne's away effort from the first leg, the Serie A outfit will need to net three simply to take the tie into extra-time.

Per Squawka, it has been some time since Los Blancos failed to score in a match in any competition:

And with Real boasting firepower like Ronaldo, Bale and Karim Benzema—who netted twice against Eibar—Napoli have an almost impossible task on their hands to keep a clean sheet.

The hosts have their own marksmen, though, not least in the shape of Dries Mertens, who scored both goals as Napoli earned a huge Serie A win away at AS Roma on Saturday.

The Belgian forward is in superb form at the moment—he has netted 16 goals in his last 15 appearances, per WhoScored.com—and Real's defence will have a job on their hands keeping him quiet.

Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images

Marek Hamsik, former Madridista Jose Callejon and Insigne will also be looking to attack Real's back line as they need goals on Tuesday if they are to knock the Spanish giants out and make the last eight.

However, with Napoli in attack mode, that will likely open up gaps in their defence for Real to exploit.

Given the quality in Zidane's side, Real are unlikely to miss out on any opportunities to counter-attack.

As a result—as with the first leg—Tuesday's clash at the San Paolo is likely to be an entertaining occasion with Real coming out on top by advancing to the quarter-finals.