t the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on 25 November 2025, Napoli welcome one of the surprise packages of this Champions League campaign - Qarabag, who have collected an impressive seven points in their debut season and arrive with nothing to lose and plenty of confidence.
Qarabag Continue Their Remarkable Run
The Azerbaijani champions have been one of the most compelling stories of the group stage. Gurban Gurbanov’s side not only defeated Copenhagen at home and took a point from Chelsea, but also stunned Benfica in Lisbon - a victory that transformed them from outsiders into genuine contenders for qualification. Their organisation, discipline and courage in transitions make them far from a team that will simply park the bus in Naples.
Napoli Not as Dominant as Last Season
Napoli under Antonio Conte have lacked the command they displayed in previous European campaigns. Performances in Serie A and the Champions League have been inconsistent, and Conte’s history in this competition has never been particularly glittering. Even though the Italians enter as obvious favourites, they are not the type of overwhelming force that scares opponents on arrival - especially not a Qarabag team that has already proven capable of troubling major clubs.
Prediction: 1–0 - Napoli Edge a Tight Match
Given Napoli’s controlled, conservative approach under Conte and Qarabag’s disciplined structure, this match shapes up as a cagey affair rather than an open battle. Napoli possess the higher individual quality and should eventually impose enough pressure to break through, but Qarabag’s resilience suggests they will not collapse easily. A narrow home victory - decided by one moment of precision - appears the most logical outcome.
