Tonight, Napoli will play against Barcelona in the most important match of the season, especially from a future perspective. At stake is not only the qualification for the Champions League quarterfinals but also a pass for the 2025 Club World Cup. Let's discover together what needs to happen for the Azzurri to achieve this very important goal.
Barcelona-Napoli: where to watch it on TV and streaming, schedule and probable line-ups
The new format
In 2025, the Club World Cup format will change. UEFA will have 12 slots, assigned to the winners of the last four editions of the Champions League (including this year's), with the rest of the participants chosen based on the European ranking. Each country can have a maximum of two teams in the competition. For Italy, at the moment, the only certainty is Inter, while Napoli and Juventus are the two clubs competing for the second slot.
The combinations
To reach the World Cup, Napoli would first have to beat Barcelona tonight in the regular 90 minutes, then win at least one quarter-final match or draw both. If Napoli were to win the match against Barcelona in extra time or on penalties, they would need to reach the Champions League semi-finals to qualify for the 2025 Club World Cup. The Azzurri need to obtain at least the same points as Juventus in the UEFA ranking, since in case of a tie, the European results of the last seasons, which clearly favor Napoli, would be considered.
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