Napoli scrapes in to knock-out
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/ Michael Lintorn / 08 December 2011 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market
Italian teams have, for all the ridiculing that several recent continental losses have triggered, lifted the trophy twice in the last five years
Serie A has its detractors, and even with three of its sides making the Champions League knock-out stage, none of them are seemingly likely contenders to take the title.
Napoli [[42.0]] were atrocious for much of their clash with a Villarreal side eager not to exit with a whimper, but turned it on in the final half hour to complete a heroic journey from the Italian third division to the last 16 of the Champions League.
The Contrarian, as you probably guessed, is smugger than ever having forecast their progress at Manchester City's expense, while Azzurri president Aurelio De Laurentiis received a celebratory shower in the dressing room at El Madrigal.
Gokhan Inler and Marek Hamsik got the goals that secured their second-round spot.
And with AC Milan [[27.0]] and Inter [[36.0]] already sure of a place in next Friday's draw, it means that Serie A will have three clubs involved, whereas no other league, not even the Premier League or La Liga, which started the group stage with four, will have more than two.
Is the country about to re-emerge as Europe's dominant force? Seemingly not, as odds of [10.5] on Italy providing this season's winner puts them behind Spain [[1.55]], Germany [[6.4]] and England [[7.4]].
In truth, Inter are finding it difficult enough to win matches at the moment, let alone silverware, however if there is one positive to glean from their domestic decline, it's that it allows them to concentrate more fully on the Champions League.
Italian teams have, for all the ridiculing that several recent continental losses have triggered, lifted the trophy twice in the last five years, and although they are the least impressive of their nation's pariticipants, Inter are in a rather enviable position.
After topping Group B, they will meet a runner-up in the next round, yet can't play either of their compatriots, who the Sky Sports pundits agreed were the only two of the eight to be wary of facing.
Admittedly, even if they reach the quarter-finals, they haven't got much hope in their current state, but perhaps a favourable draw will prove the incentive that prompts Massimo Moratti to finally invest to improve his stagnant squad in January.
