Champions League Tips: Napoli to thrive at San Mames

Gonzalo Higuain's equaliser kept Napoli alive in their qualifier

Michael Lintorn fancies Napoli to prevail in tricky circumstances at Athletic Bilbao, and Leverkusen to deliver again...

Athletic Bilbao v Napoli
Wednesday, 19:45
Live on Sky Sports Red Button

Match Odds: Athletic Bilbao 2.3611/8, Napoli 3.412/5, The Draw 3.55/2

They didn't lose, but the home leg wasn't far off disastrous for Napoli. A slow start saw them trail at the break and, though their second-half rally produced a gorgeous Gonzalo Higuain equaliser, they squandered inviting chances to win, and subsequently assume a dangerous position at San Mames.

Rafael Benitez's side have to score to stand any chance of progress and may require a victory too - something that has eluded them on five of their seven prior Champions League away days. Oh, and Athletic Bilbao have been beaten just three times in 21 encounters at their new home.

Still, that is a one-in-seven defeat rate, and Napoli are entitled to believe themselves superior to 86% of the Basque club's visitors. They have been shut out in only one of their 15 previous Champions League fixtures. If they net an away goal early, Athletic's relative inexperience should begin to show.

Recommended Bet: Back Napoli to qualify @ 2.3211/8

Bayer Leverkusen v FC Copenhagen
Wednesday, 19:45
Live on Sky Sports Red Button

Match Odds: Bayer Leverkusen 1.330/100, FC Copenhagen 12.5n/a, The Draw 6.411/2

Leverkusen are in this Champions League qualifier because of their work in the first part of last season (12 wins in 15) rather than the remainder (seven wins in 19), and they have opened menacingly once again under new coach Roger Schmidt, who was lured from Red Bull Salzburg.

The most famous German team never to win the Bundesliga thrashed Alemannia Waldalgesheim 6-0 away in the German Cup, triumphed 3-2 at one of the Champions League's noted "tough places to go" in the first leg of this tie then won 2-0 away to Borussia Dortmund in their league ribbon-cutter.

On each occasion, the 2002 Champions League finalists were ahead by the interval, a trait that was also true of both continental matches that they won at the BayArena in 2013/14.

Recommended Bet: Back Bayer Leverkusen to lead at half time and full time @ 1.8810/11