There was much to lose in Lisbon, but the new Napoli emerged with Champions League credibility, writes Richard Hall .

The 2-1 victory at Benfica may well be a new dawn for Napoli. It’s the first time they have ever won their Champions League group and the third qualification for the Round of 16. Having suffered so many times in this tournament, including two points over the last three games, there was every chance they would choke again in Lisbon. The fact they emerged triumphant should mean a great deal.

They travelled to Portugal with much to lose. The domestic stalemate with Dynamo Kiev felt like a huge wasted opportunity, even if ultimately the result wouldn’t have made much difference thanks to the Besiktas comeback against Benfica for a 3-3 draw elsewhere. Confidence was low and with Napoli’s history of continental heart-break, this was a daunting task. A point would’ve been enough to qualify, but whenever the Azzurri play for a draw, it usually ends badly.

The Partenopei have been so distracted by the Arkadiusz Milik injury and dismal form of Manolo Gabbiadini that they forgot about what made Maurizio Sarri’s side so impressive in the first place. Yes, they play a beautiful passing game, but there was also a defensive solidity that made it all possible. That has been rediscovered in recent outings and, save for the last-gasp distraction from Raul Albiol, was on show at the Estadio da Luz.

It’s probably no coincidence Albiol was absent for 10 competitive games and Napoli lost four of them. Even if it was his error that bestowed a consolation goal to Benfica, the fact remains the team looks considerably more confident with the Spanish veteran.

The plan from Sarri was clear – keep a clean sheet and tire Benfica out until Dries Mertens can come off the bench and shake things up. He even said as much in his Press conference the day before, reducing Gabbiadini to little more than a pace-setter. Dutifully, the little Belgian set up Jose Callejon and scored the second himself. The super-sub tactic might work in these situations where a draw will suffice, but in January they are going to need another centre-forward to provide different options.

Napoli’s flaws are still there, but the fact they emerged not just unscathed but victorious, from a game with so many opportunities for failure is a very promising sign indeed.

A truly shocking refereeing performance from Craig Thomson in Kiev destroyed any chance Besiktas had of qualification, so we’ll never know if Napoli would’ve managed to win in Lisbon even without that safety net. Nonetheless, history has been made, the top of the group taboo broken and the Partenopei march on into the final 16 of the Champions League.

In February they should have Milik back, the summer signings like Marko Rog, Nikola Maksimovic, Emanuele Giaccherini and Lorenzo Tonelli should be ready to play regularly and other options brought in for Sarri’s attack. Napoli ought to do well in the Champions League and, unlike so many other seasons, perhaps this time they actually will.

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