Champions League Italian teams on the edge as playoffs are decided tonight

Champions League Italian teams face a decisive final matchday

Today is the last day of the Champions League. Four Italian teams are in the running to reach the playoffs.

Atalanta, Inter, and Juventus have a slim chance of making it into the top 8, with Atalanta enjoying a one-point advantage over the other two Italian teams.

Napoli has to win to avoid ending their European campaign tonight.

Before the Champions League match against Chelsea, Antonio Conte himself said that it’s never easy to play for qualification on the last day.

Napoli messed up in Copenhagen, and now they’re playing for a spot in the playoffs against a really strong team, with a bunch of players sitting out.

The Salento-born coach says the team should keep doing what they’re doing, and tonight’s game is a chance to see how they stack up against teams at this level.

Napoli’s also keeping an eye on the transfer market, and there’s a chance they’ll sign Raheem Sterling, who just ended his time with Chelsea today.

Napoli chasing survival while Italian teams fight for playoffs

Juventus is playing away at Monaco.

Perin is in goal instead of Di Gregorio, and the three-man defense is confirmed as against Napoli, with Koopmeiners partnering Thuram in midfield.

Yildiz is on the bench, at least to start, along with other regulars in the Bianconeri lineup, like Cambiaso and David.

Inter visits Borussia Dortmund: the Nerazzurri need to win and then hope that their opponents’ results lead to a direct qualification for the round of 16, which is looking unlikely at this point.

The official lineups for the match have been announced. Chivu picked Ange-Yoann Bonny, who’ll be on the field with Marcus Thuram.

Yann Bisseck starts in defense. Alessandro Bastoni is on the bench.

As for Atalanta, Raffaele Palladino goes with a three-man defense in front of Sportiello, with Kossounou, Hien, and the young Ahanor.

On the wings, Zappacosta and Bernasconi will be responsible for providing width and constant pressure, while in the middle of the park, the Musah-Éderson pairing will make sure there’s dynamism, ball recovery, and runs into space.

In the attacking midfield, Samardzic and Lookman are the main creative players to feed Krstovic.