After the victory of the first leg (2-0), a double by Victor Osimhen (45+2nd, 53rd) and a penalty by Piotr Zielinski (64th) allow Napoli to reach the quarters of C1 for the first time in its history.

Eintracht Frankfurt was never able to challenge Neapolitan supremacy in a match preceded by clashes in the city in the afternoon between German fans and the police, against a backdrop of images of urban guerrilla warfare, including a burning police car, broadcast by the media.

These fans made the trip without having access to the Neapolitan stadium, where messages in Italian and German calling for "respect for football" were broadcast. The Italian authorities had banned the sale of tickets to Frankfurt residents in advance for fear of excesses.

On the field, as is often the case, it was the insatiable Osimhen and the elusive Khvicha Kvaraskhelia who set the fire.

With its fiery attack, Napoli confirms that its ambitions will not be limited to Italy, where the scudetto is already almost in pocket twelve days from the end.

After finishing at the top of their group ahead of Liverpool, Luciano Spalletti's players again flew over the double confrontation against the defending champions of the Europa League, diminished by the absence of their top scorer Randal Kolo Muani, suspended in Campania after his exclusion in the first leg.

With Inter and Milan

The Germans were able to dream of exploits during a half-time thanks to Kevin Trapp's saves. The German goalkeeper was decisive from the 1st minute in front of Matteo Politano, then Osimhen on the edge of offside (16th) and twice Kvaratskhelia (19th 42nd).

Eintracht were thus able to pose a diffuse threat, with an unframed header on a corner by Rafael Borré (9th) or a dangerous deep ball that Mario Götze did not believe enough (31st).

But everything became impossible for the Germans when Napoli took a three-goal lead on aggregate, just before the break, thanks to a header from Osimhen, unopposed to take a centre from Politano.

On the resumption, the Nigerian doubled the bet by throwing himself on a center of Giovanni De Lorenzo. The double striker hurt his wrist on the spot, but not enough to prevent him from resuming with a bandage.

Piotr Zielinski invited himself to the party by getting and converting a penalty (64th).

Napoli then finally blew a little, but without offering the Germans the pleasure of reducing the score.

Because coach Luciano Spalletti recalled on Tuesday: his Napoli does not intend to let go, decided to join in the history of the club the generation Maradona champion of Italy in 1987 and 1990.

With him, the whole of Italy finds European ambitions: the country will have three clubs in the quarter-finals after the qualifications of AC Milan and Inter Milan, unseen since the 2005-06 season.

© 2023 AFP