Napoli scored first but Real Madrid won through a stroke of luck on matchday two of the UEFA Champions League. With the score tied at 2-2, Alex Meret’s own goal sent Los Merengues into outright first place of Group C, a result which keeps Napoli three points adrift in second place.

Despite Madrid’s dominant start, Leo Østigard opened the scoring for the home side with a powerful header in the 17th minute. Eventually, Jude Bellingham took control, first intercepting and assisting for Vini Junior’s finessed bottom-corner equaliser, then executing a brilliant solo goal to send Los Blancos into the break with a 1-2 lead.

Napoli began the second period with clear intent, winning and converting a penalty after Nacho Fernandez handled in the penalty box. Piotr Zielinski beat Kepa to equalise from the spot in the 54th minute, inspiring Napoli to search for the winner.

With a quarter of an hour remaining and Napoli dominating, Real Madrid rallied through a Luka Modrić corner kick. Napoli’s clearance from the set piece was volleyed by Federico Valverde from 25 yards, the Uruguayan’s effort ricocheting off the crossbar, onto Napoli goalie Alex Meret and into the goal.

Four-time UCL-winning manager Carlo Ancelotti, who coached Napoli 73 times between 2018 and 2019, started Jude Bellingham over Joselu and Luka Modrić which allowed Los Blancos more ball-carrying flamboyancy between the lines. The England international’s contributions were decisive, with Modrić deployed from the bench for Toni Kroos in the 64th minute.

Victor Osimhen was tightly marshalled by Antonio Rudiger and Nacho throughout the corridor, the Nigerian working in tirelessly with Matteo Politano and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to exploit space on the wings. Osimhen’s bullet header in the 39th minute was spectacularly saved by Kepa, the Spanish shot-stopper vital throughout the match.

With Napoli chasing the game, Rudi Garcia introduced Geovanni Simeone and Jens Cajuste late in the game as the Partenopei poured forward to find the equaliser for 3-3. Østigard’s stoppage-time volley was then saved by Kepa, sealing Napoli’s second loss of the season in all competitions.

With the 2-3 result, Real Madrid maintains its undefeated run against Napoli, a record which dates back to 1987.

The Partenopei and Los Blancos helped shape modern football. During the late 1980s, the two sides met in the first round of the European Cup, the competition that preceded the current format of the Champions League, where only first-placed teams of each respective European domestic league would meet in a knockout competition. Napoli, on a high from winning a first-ever Serie A title, was drawn to face then six-time winners in the first round. Unsurprisingly, the tie was embroiled in off-field mind games and on-field skirmishes.

Usually, teams of such stature met in the latter stages, and the thought of any heavyweight’s elimination so early was recognized by many, including Milan owner and media magnate Silvio Berlusconi, as tragic. It was all about the luck of the draw. Maradona’s Napoli, which contained Fernando De Napoli, Ciro Ferrara and Bruno Giordano, was phased out by Emilio Butragueño’s side while Ireland’s Shamrock Rovers met Cypriot’s Omonia and Switzerland’s Neuchatel Xamax were drawn against Finand’s FC Kussysi. Berlusconi’s vision took five years. By 1992, The UEFA Champions League group stage configuration was born, two seasons after Napoli went out in the second round to Spartak Moscow on penalties, the Soviets also dumping Real Madrid out in the quarter-finals 3-1.

During the summer transfer window, Ancelotti’s expenditure on new players far exceeded that of Garcia’s. Not counting the €5M ($5.3M) loan fees paid for Kepa and Joselu, Don Carlo was permitted to spend €128M ($135.5M) in total, €103M ($109M) of that disbursed solely on Jude Bellingham. Meanwhile, Aurelio De Laurentiis invested €52M ($55M) on Jesper Lindstrøm, Jens Cajuste and Natan, the latter replacing Kim Min-jae.

On November 29th, Napoli will travel to Madrid on matchday five of the group stage.