AC Milan vs. Napoli score: Spalletti has reasons to worry and work ...

MILAN -- There were a lot of expectations around Napoli in the UEFA Champions League's quarterfinals against AC Milan, but the team coached by Luciano Spalletti lost 1-0 in the first leg in Milan after the deciding goal scored by Ismael Bennacer at the San Siro. Napoli are currently leading and dominating the Serie A season, having a 16-point advantage over Lazio and potentially can win their first Scudetto in 33 years in few weeks, but European glory was always going to be much more difficult. 

Spalletti's team were considered, probably, the main candidates to go to the Champions League final this season when the quarterfinal and semifinal draw took place, considering they are facing AC Milan in the quarters and would face one between Inter and Benfica in the semifinals if they get through. 

However, Napoli lost the first match against AC Milan and will have to turn things around in the second leg next Tuesday at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. After losing 4-0 at home ten days ago to Milan, Napoli already lost twice against Stefano Pioli's team this month, conceding five goals without  scoring once. Napoli should be worried big time, and here's why. 

First of all, Napoli will have to deal with some key absences. Korean defender Kim Min-Jae was booked in the first leg at San Siro and will miss the second match in Naples, and the same goes for midfielder Zambo Anguissa, who got a red carded and will automatically miss the second leg as well. These are definitely two big absences for Spalletti, who will have to rely on depth. At the same time, striker Giovanni Simone will also miss the second leg after also missing Wednesday's game after medical examinations showed a first-degree strain of the right hamstring and will be out for the whole month. 

The only good news comes from Spalletti himself, who announced after the match against AC Milan that Victor Osimhen will be back next week.

"Victor will 100% be available for the second leg at the Maradona on Tuesday. He will be there with us," he said. 

The comeback of the Nigerian striker would be huge news for the Azzurri as Napoli have struggled without him lately, losing two of their last three, both of the games against Milan. 

Talking about the games against their Italian counterparts, Napoli should be worried about how Stefano Pioli managed to win both clashes in less than ten days. Pioli's tactical system (he's back playing with the 4-2-3-1) and Ismael Bennacer playing as a defensive number ten changed the way the Rossoneri played these two games. The position of Bennacer, who scored the winning goal in the first leg, creates an issue for Napoli when they need to come from behind. Stanislav Lobotka is the key player when Napoli start to create from their defensive midfield and the pressure of Bennacer, who is also supported by Sandro Tonali and Rade Krunic, became a winning factor in both Serie A and Champions League clashes. It's not a coincidence that Napoli's remarkable plays of the first leg happened only when they managed to break that pressure. 

Lastly, Napoli should not be affected by the pressure of the environment, which is not easy to keep under control. The city and the fans are buzzing to celebrate a historical league title for the first time in 33 years, but at the same time, this is also adding probably too much pressure to this current squad. Spalletti knows that and was very clear in the post-match interview on Wednesday, referring to the clashes that happened between Napoli fans during the match against AC Milan ten days ago, which were due to an old controversy between some ultras groups and the owner of the club, Aurelio De Laurentiis.

"If it happens again in the second leg, I leave the bench and I go away. Even the boys, who are exceptional but sensitive, deserve it. We played in an environment that didn't help us and it's difficult to explain."

Napoli are still in a good position to overturn the result of the first leg, considering they lost only by one goal. While AC Milan could have taken more advantage of it and are probably a bit disappointed, Napoli's best news of the night was that they only conceded one goal and anything can happen next week.