Lorenzo Insigne’s stunner from distance gave Napoli a shock lead at the Bernabeu, but Real Madrid fought back for a 3-1 victory including a Casemiro volley.
See how the night unfolded on the Liveblog. The second leg is at the Stadio San Paolo on March 7 and the Partenopei need a 2-0 win to go through on away goals.
Lorenzo Insigne’s stunner from distance gave Napoli a shock lead at the Bernabeu, but Real Madrid fought back for a 3-1 victory including a Casemiro volley.
See how the night unfolded on the Liveblog. The second leg is at the Stadio San Paolo on March 7 and the Partenopei need a 2-0 win to go through on away goals.
The clubs met 30 years after the European Cup clash and the first leg was at the Bernabeu, as Napoli topped their group in qualifying. Arkadiusz Milik and Leonardo Pavoletti weren’t 100 per cent fit, but Maurizio Sarri opted for Piotr Zielinski and Amadou Diawara in a very attacking line-up. Zinedine Zidane’s European and World Champions missed Gareth Bale, but opted for James Rodriguez rather than Isco or Lucas Vazquez in the trident attack.
It was expected to be a thriller for the neutrals and Karim Benzema forced Pepe Reina into a one-handed save from 12 yards after just 21 seconds.
However, it was Napoli who took the lead with an absolutely sensational goal. Lorenzo Insigne spotted Keylor Navas off his line and curled it into the net from 35 metres out, silencing the Bernabeu crowd – except for the 10,000 or so Neapolitans who managed to get tickets. It was Insigne’s first Champions League goal since 2013.
The tension got to Sergio Ramos, who was booked for a late tackle on Diawara. Real Madrid got it back on level terms when Dani Carvajal crossed from the right with the outside of his boot for a Benzema header from seven yards.
Cristiano Ronaldo was sent through after a give and go with Luka Modric, but blasted well over, while Marek Hamsik drilled wide of the near post on an Insigne assist.
Real Madrid players were repeatedly caught offside and Zielinski was harshly booked when he seemed to get the ball in his tackle on Casemiro.
Benzema was sent clear by Ronaldo, but clipped the post of an open goal as Reina came rushing out.
Real Madrid did take the lead straight after the restart, as Ronaldo got past Kalidou Koulibaly down the right and pulled back for Toni Kroos to drill low first time from just inside the box, wrong-footing Reina.
There was precious little Napoli could do about the third goal, because Casemiro hit a missile of a volley from distance that dipped into the far top corner past a helpless Reina. It was a stunner.
Faouzi Ghoulam’s free kick curled over the bar and Ronaldo fired off target, but Mertens wasted a golden opportunity when he blasted over from 12 yards after an inspired Callejon knock-down.
Mertens had another very strong chance, forcing Navas to smother at his feet at the near post. Reina was alert to rush off his line and stop James Rodriguez lobbing him after a smart Kroos reverse pass.
Allan replaced a disappointing Zielinski and Napoli thought they’d got one back with a splendid passing move, culminating in Mertens knocking down a Diawara cross for Callejon to slide in at the far post, but the Spaniard was marginally offside.
Arek Milik made his comeback after a torn ACL and replaced Marek Hamsik for four strikers in the final stages.
Real Madrid 3-1 Napoli
Insigne 8 (N), Benzema 19 (RM), Kroos 49 (RM), Casemiro 54 (RM)
Real Madrid: Keylor Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Sergio Ramos (Pepe 70), Marcelo; Modric, Kroos, Casemiro; James Rodriguez (Lucas Vazquez 76), Benzema (Morata 82), Cristiano Ronaldo
Napoli: Reina; Hysaj, Koulibaly, Albiol, Ghoulam; Hamsik (Milik 84), Diawara, Zielinski (Allan 75); Callejon, Mertens, Insigne
Ref: Skomina (SVN)