Champions League: Naples held by Union Berlin

Naples fell back into its mistakes in front of its public by conceding a draw (1-1) against Union Berlin, which remained on twelve consecutive defeats, Wednesday during the 4th day of the Champions League.

While they could have seen the round of 16 if successful, Rudi Garcia and his players will have to fight until the 6th and final day to stay in the running in the premier competition.

Also read “He took a risk and he knew it”: Rudi Garcia is (already) walking on embers in Naples

They are certainly 2nd in Group C with seven points, but Braga, 3rd with 3 points before facing Real Madrid in the evening, can still overtake them.

More serious, they once again disappointed their supporters whom they had laboriously reassured since the international break in October with three victories and a draw.

Because this new draw at home against a team which had not scored in just a month and whose last success dates back to the end of August, looks like a defeat.

The reigning Italian champions nevertheless dominated, but they showed, in the absence of Victor Osimhen, signs of fatigue and a worrying lack of ideas in the second half.

Brazilian defender Natan thought he would open the scoring in the 24th minute, but his header was blocked by the right post of Frederik Ronnow's goal, beaten.

It was then VAR which saved Union Berlin (30th) by invalidating Andre Anguissa's goal, since its captain Giovanni di Lorenzo had leaned on the shoulders of a Union defender to send him a center of the head.

The deserved opening of the score came from the left wing, on a cross from Mario Rui, cut at the near post by Matteo Politano, his sixth goal of the season (39th).

It was not until added time that the Berliners really worried Naples with a free kick from Josip Juranovic.

The second half began with a thunderclap: on a long return, David Fofana overtook the Naples defense and equalized in two stages after a save by Alex Meret against Sheraldo Becker (52nd).

The fast Fofana and Becker will make Napoli suffer until the end, who responded for their part only with attempts from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, alone.

Naples will definitely not keep good memories of its German visitors.

The 2,500 Union supporters made their mark during the match by exploding loud firecrackers on numerous occasions.

During the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, around 300 of them had vandalized cars and street furniture before attacking police officers “with paving stones, batons, metal and wooden bars and pyrotechnic devices,” he said. explained earlier the Neapolitan police.

Eleven of these ultras were arrested.