Napoli Primavera, led by Antonio Nocerino, faces Pepe Reina's Villarreal B today on the second day of the UEFA Youth League. The match will be held at the Mini Estadi de la Ciudad Deportiva, at 16:00, with the match direction entrusted to the Swede Granit Maqedonci. It is the most recent meeting between the two clubs, following a single clash between their respective managers in 2013.
Napoli Primavera had a mixed start to the season: after a draw with Arsenal, Massimiliano Allegri's team suffered a drop in morale, while the youngsters of the yellow team achieved a 3-2 victory against Borussia Dortmund on their debut. Villarreal B, on the other hand, is preparing to test its team in a match that could influence the competition rankings.
For fans who want to follow the match, UEFA has indicated Sky Sport as the main broadcaster of the Youth League. However, at the moment only the match between Roma Primavera and Real Madrid B is available in the Sky Sport TV guide. Alternatively, fans can access the live broadcast on the official UEFA.com website, where a free streaming service is active. It is also possible to consult the textual web chronicle on CorrieredelloSport.it for real-time updates.
Nocerino has called up a squad of twenty players for the match: Barido, Branchizio, Candela, D'Angelo A., De Michele, De Stefano, Favicchio, Liccardo, Lieto, Mane, Marotta, Melnyk, Natale, Pengue, Pereyra, Pugliese, Riccio, Santella, Spinelli and Zappalà. The team is preparing to take advantage of its experience and try to improve its position in the Youth League table.
The match will take place on 13 October and, depending on the outcome, could have repercussions on the final score of the two teams in the group stage of the European competition.