Serie A: Napoli To Bounce Back Against Roma

Napoli vs AS Roma

The chase for Europa League places is heating up in Italy and there’s a cracking clash on the way when the two teams currently in the frame meet at the Stadio San Paulo.

Napoli vs Roma is the pick of the Serie A weekend fixtures with the sides in action separated by just three points, in sixth and fifth places respectively.

Both teams are some way off fourth place with Atalanta 12 points clear of Roma and Napoli come into this match off the back of a disappointing 2-0 defeat to La Dea on Thursday night.

So the battle for fifth place is bubbling up nicely between Roma and Napoli, but the losers of this clash will need to keep a look over their shoulders with Milan and Hellas Verona close behind.

The latest Napoli vs Roma betting odds point to a tight game but the hosts should have the edge despite the San Paulo standing empty.

Talking Points

Cup triumph can launch Napoli to more success

Napoli have flourished under the guidance of Gennaro Gattuso since his arrival as head coach back in December, and they needed to after a shocking first half of the season.

Gli Azzurri have been runners up in each of the last two campaigns and they have not finished a top-flight season lower than fifth over the past ten years.

Gattuso’s aim is to extend that run to 11 campaigns and that would represent a great success, alongside Napoli’s recent cup triumph.

Gli Azzurri held their nerve in a penalty shootout to win the Coppa Italia, beating Juventus on penalties with Arkadiusz Milik planting home the decisive spot kick after Paulo Dybala and Danilo had both missed for Juve.

It was Gattuso’s first trophy win as a manager and potentially a launchpad for more success.

Milik is Napoli’s top scorer with ten goals in the league, but he is supported by the club’s more established stars who have spearheaded title bids in recent seasons.

Belgian ace Dries Mertens has eight goals, scoring the opener in Napoli’s recent 3-1 win over SPAL, while Lorenzo Insigne is also set to line up in attack.

Serie A: Napoli beat Juventus on penalties to win the Coppa Italia — Napoli have won the 2019/20 Coppa Italia

Roma clinging on to the Europa League spot

Paulo Fonseca’s Roma has stuttered over the past seven days.

A defeat to AC Milan last Sunday was followed by another 0-2 reversal at home to Udinese, and that pretty much put a dent to any lingering hopes of Roma making a Champions League place.

Just like his opposite number, Fonseca has a wealth of attacking talent to call on with Edin Dzeko again leading the line with 14 league goals.

Former Manchester United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan could be in line for a call-up as could striker Justin Kluivert.

But I Giallorossi could be without the creative muscle of Lorenzo Pellegrini. He’s the club’s most prolific assist maker with nine this season and young striker Nicolo Zaniolo is also doubtful.

Aleksandar Kolarov is likely to take the captain’s armband in place of Diego Perotti who was red carded in the first half of Roma’s defeat to Udinese.

History

The head-to-head Napoli vs Roma results are nicely in favour of the visitors, with Roma winning 20 of the 41 meetings between these two giants since 1993, while Napoli have won 11 and there have been ten draws.

Roma came out on top in the return by a 2-1 scoreline in Rome back in November as Zaniolo scored his fourth goal in a row, while Napoli keeper Alex Meret saved a Kolarov penalty but couldn’t earn his side a point.

Defeat to Atalanta was Napoli’s first in ten matches and ended a sequence of three wins, though a run of five wins in six is still an impressive return.

While Roma have hit the skids, they have been productive away from home this season, winning half of their 14 away league matches.