Preview: Napoli vs Juventus – Team News, Lineups & Prediction

Stadio Diego Armando Maradona units the stage for a high-stakes Serie A showdown between Napoli and Juventus. Sunday night time’s blockbuster in Naples pits the reigning Scudetto holders towards the record-time Italian champions in a probably season-defining contest.

Napoli have steered their title protection again on monitor after back-to-back winless league video games (D1, L1). Certainly, consecutive victories over fellow top-half rivals Atalanta and Roma had fired Antonio Conte’s facet to second within the desk forward of this spherical.

Nevertheless, after Inter’s dominant 4-0 dwelling conquer Como final night time, the Partenopei have slipped to 3rd within the standings, two factors adrift of the Nerazzurri. Conte goes up towards his former membership, looking for an all-important win, because the hosts look to increase their profitable dwelling league run towards Juventus to seven matches.

The Turin giants have misplaced their final six away clashes towards Napoli since 2020, with 4 of these defeats coming by way of an similar 2-1 scoreline. But, Luciano Spalletti returns to his previous stomping floor in excessive spirits after Juventus received their final three outings in all competitions.

Spalletti, who guided Napoli to their third Scudetto in 2023, has turned Juventus’ fortunes round since taking up from Igor Tudor in late October. Nonetheless, there’s no room for complacency, provided that the Bianconeri entered this spherical 4 factors behind fourth-placed Roma.

Match Preview

Napoli

Regardless of dropping thrice within the opening 13 rounds (W9, D1), Napoli stay firmly in rivalry for his or her fifth Scudetto. That’s already one defeat fewer than of their complete 2024/25 title-winning marketing campaign, highlighting a minor drop-off. Nevertheless, Conte may nonetheless turn into the primary supervisor to encourage the Partenopei to successive top-flight titles.

The 56-year-old supervisor has turned the Maradona Stadium right into a fortress. Certainly, Napoli have solely dropped factors as soon as of their six dwelling league fixtures this season (W5, D1), courtesy of a scoreless draw towards Como initially of November.

Conte’s prices have gone from energy to energy in Naples, scoring three objectives towards final season’s top-four finishers Inter and Atalanta. Moreover, it’s been a 12 months since Napoli final misplaced a house league match, suggesting their formidable dwelling run towards Juventus is well-placed to proceed.

Nonetheless, connoisseurs of action-packed soccer can not count on a quick-fire begin, contemplating none of Napoli’s six dwelling video games in Serie A this season have produced a purpose contained in the opening quarter-hour.

Juventus

Unbeaten in eight straight matches throughout all competitions (W5, D3), Juventus head into proceedings decided to cease their rot on the South Coast. The Bianconeri bounced again from a pair of low-scoring attracts towards Torino and Fiorentina with a 2-1 win over Cagliari final outing.

Furthermore, their confidence acquired one other increase in midweek Coppa Italia motion, as objectives on both facet of halftime fired them to a 2-0 dwelling victory over Udinese. Recent off reaching the quarter-finals in Italy’s premier cup competitors, Spalletti’s facet shall be out to publish their first Serie A triumph in Naples since March 2019.

Conceding first could not essentially derail Juventus’ hopes of halting their dreadful streak on the Maradona Stadium. Certainly, the guests have already salvaged factors from a dropping place thrice below Spalletti. But, they might want extra than simply need to take care of their resurgence.

In actual fact, Spalletti should tackle Juventus’ journey illness that has seen the Allianz membership win solely two of their eight away matches this season (D3, L3).

Group Information

Along with long-term absentees Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Alex Meret, and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Napoli shall be with out Stanislav Lobotka and Billy Gilmour. As such, Conte is more likely to flip to Scott McTominay and Elif Elmas to shoulder the inventive burden tonight. Miguel Gutierrez can be out, that means Mathias Olivera will function on the left flank.

In the meantime, Juventus can not name upon the companies of Gleison Bremer, Federico Gatti, Daniele Rugani, Dusan Vlahovic, and Arkadiusz Milik. With the Serbian celebrity sidelined till 2026, it’ll be both Lois Openda or Jonathan David to spearhead Juve’s assault. Regardless of his underwhelming type, the misfiring Canadian striker may get the nod this night.

Napoli vs Juventus Potential Beginning Lineups

Napoli (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Rrahmani, Good Morning; Di Lorenzo, Elmas, McTominay, Olivera; Neres, Lang; Hojlund.

Juventus (3-4-2-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Kelly, Koopmeiners; Cambiaso, Locatelli, Thuram, Kostic; Conceicao, Yildiz; David.

Napoli vs Juventus Prediction

Given Napoli’s intimidating type on the Maradona Stadium and their sterling dwelling file towards Juventus, it’s solely affordable to count on Conte to inflict additional injury on his previous membership’s Scudetto pursuit. Napoli will possible need to run their socks off to take all three factors, however we nonetheless fancy them to tug it off.

Prediction: Napoli to Win

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