Gary Lineker opted for a rare punt on Napoli in this season's Champions League - now the Italians are marching into the last eight of the tournament.
They are aiming to win a first Serie A title since the days of Diego Maradona and are well poised with an 18-point lead at the top of the Italian top flight. Luciano Spalleti's outfit have lost just twice in the league, but have matched their domestic performances with some incredible displays in Europe.
Liverpool were torn apart earlier this season as Napoli hit four past them at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. They also hammered Rangers home and away and have eased past Frankfurt, winning 5-0 on aggregate in the last 16.
Lineker made an early prediction and backed the Italians, who were by no means fancied to succeed in Europe. He said on social media: "Really enjoy watching Napoli. They play such exciting football. Had a very rare bet on them to win the Champions League this season some months ago."
Now, his bet is looking good - and his odds will be favourable. They were around 66/1 to win the competition when it started with few fancying them to make it this far. Napoli are currently the top scorers in the Champions League, which is much more open than in recent years with the likes of Inter Milan, Benfica and AC Milan among their possible opponents in the quarter-final.
Plaudits and continuing to come Napoli's way with Ruud Gullit following Lineker's lead by backing the Serie A leaders. He told La Gazzetta dello Sport : "In a television broadcast I said that they are the favourites to win the Champions League. I haven't changed my mind. They play a style of football that we all like to see; fast, rapid and vertical. The English clubs are strong, the same for Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid are capable of crazy feats, but this Napoli team are totally different."
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Napoli's success over Frankfurt means they've made the last eight of the Champions League for the first time. The likes of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen have been standouts, with Lineker claiming the latter has been "consistently impressive".
Stanislav Lobotka, who has made 32 outings this term for Napoli, accepts that no one expects them to make the final in Istanbul come June. The Slovakian has talked up their chances however, insisting they can match the likes of Real Madrid.
He told Corriere dello Sport : “Everyone dreams of winning the Champions League, but it’d difficult. There are great clubs, but we have nothing to lose. We are not like Real Madrid. If we qualify for the quarter-finals and meet them, we know we can play on par. Nobody expects Napoli to reach the Final.”
