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Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 6/5
Bookmaker: Betfair
Napoli and Juventus are set for a high-stakes showdown at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, where Serie A’s top team will face a Juventus side eager to preserve their unbeaten record.
Napoli hold a commanding 13-point lead over their visitors, fueled by a scintillating run of form, and they’ll aim to make it six consecutive home victories over the Bianconeri. Meanwhile, Juventus will be determined to close the gap and prove their resilience against the league leaders in what promises to be a thrilling encounter.
Napoli
Napoli’s title credentials faced a significant test last weekend, with Antonio Conte’s side passing with flying colors in a showdown between two of Italy’s top three teams.
After conceding an early goal, Matteo Politano brought the Campanian club level in Bergamo, followed by Scott McTominay restoring their lead at 2-1. When La Dea equalized in the second half, Romelu Lukaku delivered a decisive third goal.
This eighth win from 11 away games pushed Napoli to 50 points, keeping them three ahead of Inter Milan, who still have a game in hand.
Conte, once leading Inter to the Scudetto, has an impressive history of trophy wins, particularly during his Juventus tenure as both a coach and industrious midfielder. In Turin, his 68% win rate in all competitions included becoming one of only six coaches to secure 100 victories with the Bianconeri. However, he has lost four of his six matches against them since.
Now, Conte takes Napoli into a heated north-south clash, aiming to extend their five-game home winning streak over Juve in Serie A, with an aggregate scoreline of 12-4. A sixth victory would secure top spot until February.
Team News
Conte could remain without defender Alessandro Buongiorno again, though the defender is back in training after an injury layoff. As a result, Juan Jesus is expected to retain his spot this weekend.
Apart from that, Napoli seem to have no other injury concerns and are likely to field an unchanged lineup. Recent additions Philip Billing and Luis Hasa are set to start on the bench.
Leading the attack, Romelu Lukaku is just one goal away from reaching 200 career strikes in Europe’s top five leagues. Notably, Juventus has been his toughest opponent in Serie A, with the Belgian losing seven of his 13 matches against them.
Juventus
Juventus have suffered six defeats in their last 10 league encounters with Napoli, managing just two wins during a period marked by poor off-field management and uninspiring performances on it.
Italy’s draw specialists eased pressure on coach Thiago Motta with a victory over AC Milan last weekend, as Timothy Weah and Samuel Mbangula scored to avenge their recent Supercoppa Italiana semifinal loss.
Despite remaining unbeaten in Serie A, Motta’s side has drawn more than half of their matches across all competitions. Prior to beating Milan, they squandered leads in three consecutive league games, leaving them 13 points behind the top of the table.
On Tuesday, Juventus returned to their inconsistent form with a goalless draw at Club Brugge in the Champions League, making a top-eight finish unlikely and a playoff spot more probable.
Additionally, no team in Europe’s top five leagues has recorded more away draws this season. However, earning one in Naples would still be considered a positive result.
Team News
The visitors face a conundrum in attack, as top scorer Dusan Vlahovic has been dropped for ‘technical reasons,’ false nine Nico Gonzalez has struggled to impress, and France forward Randal Kolo Muani has recently joined on loan.
While Kolo Muani might begin on the bench, Kenan Yildiz and Francisco Conceicao, both returning from injury, featured briefly in midweek and are now in contention to start.
Meanwhile, long-term absentees Arkadiusz Milik, Juan Cabal, and Bremer remain unavailable.
Conclusion
Napoli’s resilience and determination under former Juve coach Antonio Conte could finally bring an end to the Bianconeri’s unbeaten Serie A run.
Though Juventus possess significant attacking talent, they frequently struggle to deliver, whereas Napoli remain consistently solid in defence.
Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 6/5
Bookmaker: Betfair
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