They are the fourth favourites to win the 2022/23 Serie A title but the owners, players and fans of Napoli want more than that.
And in their head coach, Luciano Spalletti, the Partenopei have a determined leader. But he faces some big challenges as he tries to put together a new look team ready to take on the best in Italy.
Napoli ended last season with four straight wins, scoring 13 goals and conceding just one, to secure a third-place finish, ahead of Juventus. But in a new era without their former captain and talisman Lorenzo Insigne, the remaining and new players need to be brave.
An opening day trip to face Hellas Verona is not the easiest of starts and fans are talking and disagreeing about how their team may line up.
So I’ll have a go too.
Spalletti’s men have the edge in their opener, according to our SBOTOP odds, at a price of 1.90 with a handicap of -0.25, and they picked up a 2-1 win when the two sides met in Verona in March. Victor Osimhen scored twice and the big Nigerian will be key to Napoli’s success again this term; but who will he line up alongside?
Goalkeeper: Alex Meret
The departure of David Ospina has left the gloves with the 6ft 3in Meret after the two players were rotated over the past couple of seasons. A 35m Euros transfer from Udinese in 2019, Meret is ready to make the position his own and challenge for a place in the national side.
Defence: Giovanni Di Lorenzo , Mathias Oliveira , Amir Rrahmani, Eric Bailly
Following the departure of Insigne, Lorenzo has been handed the captaincy and will continue at right back, while new recruit Mathias Oliveira will make a claim for the left back position. The 24-year-old Uruguayan international will have cover and competition from Juan Jesus but I expect him to get the nod ahead of the versatile Brazilian.
Now that Kalidou Koulibaly has gone to Chelsea there is a space for a new centre-back and Napoli are weighing up a move for Eric Bailly. The Manchester United defender has pace and great positional sense and would be the ideal partner for the powerful Rrahmani.
Midfield: Piotr Zielinski, Elif Elmas, Fabian Ruiz
Andre Anguissa has now signed a full contract after a successful season on loan at Napoli and he could play just in front of the back four if Spalletti opts for a 4-4-2 or 4-2-2-2. But if the boss goes for a midfield three I suspect he’ll start with this trio.
Zielinski is a class act, starring for both Napoli and Poland as an energetic box to box midfielder, and he provides consistently high-quality support to the attack. North Macedonian star Elmas had a breakthrough campaign last season and he brings a lot of energy and ideas while Ruiz is known for his vision and passing range.
Attack: Victor Osimhen, Hirving Lozano, Armando Broja
Dries Mertens has been released by the club after nine successful seasons and fans are sorry to see the 35-year-old Belgian go. He was the club’s third-top scorer last season and has been consistently one of the club’s best players over the past decade.
But the Partenopei are looking to the future and are putting their faith in the versatile Mexican Lozano and Osimhen, who was the fifth most expensive African player of all time when he transferred from Lille to Napoli in 2020 and, providing the club manages to keep hold of their jewel in the crown, the Nigerian striker will make his fair share of Serie A 2022 highlights over the coming months.
Matteo Politano and Andre Petagna will be pushing for a start but Spalletti is also trying to bring in new blood and the club has been linked with Chelsea forward Armando Broja. The 21-year-old was impressive on loan a Southampton last season and the Partopenei have apparently asked the Blues about his availability during the Koulibaly negotiations, which could give them the edge over rivals.
So Broja makes up my 11, on the assumption that Spalletti can persuade him to join his Naples evolution.
The pre-season Serie A 2022 betting odds have priced Napoli at 13.00 to win the title. If they start the campaign as they did last year, with 11 wins from the first 12 games then those odds will drop like a stone.
Three points in Verona and maybe, just maybe, Napoli fans can start to dream again.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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