Napoli vs Sassuolo
Napoli’s Serie A title defence is off to a great start, and they will aim to sustain their momentum when they head back home to Naples.
On Sunday, the Partenopei will host Sassuolo, who will look to bounce back following their 2-0 loss to Atalanta during the opening matchday of the 2023-24 campaign.
Rudi Garcia, who took over as Napoli’s head coach this summer following Luciano Spalletti’s departure, will look to emulate what Spalletti did last season to secure yet another Scudetto.
Last year, the Partenopei went on a 16-game unbeaten run, and by the time they lost their first league game in January, the title had essentially been sewn up.
Can they do it again, or was last season a flash in the pan?
Talking Points
Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia set to reunite
Napoli appeared at risk of a huge upset against Serie B champions Frosinone, but Victor Osimhen came to the rescue to make sure that it didn’t happen.
After Matteo Politano’s equaliser in the 24th minute, Osimhen reminded us why he won the 2022-23 Capocannoniere award by recording a brace to put away an ambitious Frosinone side.
The Partenopei are again likely to rely on the Nigerian striker’s capability to produce Serie A 2023 highlights, but he won’t have to do it all alone, especially with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia set to return.
Kvaratskhelia missed the opening match due to muscle fatigue. With him available for selection, Giacomo Raspadori will most likely make way for the Georgian forward in the starting XI, while Matteo Politano should fill the other wing spot.
The 22-year-old enjoyed a breakout year, as he was named Serie A Player of the Year last season, and he’ll be hoping to carry the same form this campaign.
He’ll be the danger man against Sassuolo, as Kvaratskhelia was directly involved in four Serie A goals, his most against any team in the Italian top-flight thus far.
Long story short, if Napoli are going to win it all again, it will be on the back of yet another stellar campaign from these two young stars.
Sassuolo need a happy Berardi to get going
Domenico Berardi will make his return after he didn’t play against Atalanta, as he was frozen out of the rotation.
The 29-year-old was determined to push through a move to Juventus, but Sassuolo didn’t want to let him go. And with negotiation talks stalled, he may have to accept that he won’t be able to leave the club anytime soon.
The expectation is that Berardi will be playing his 11th consecutive Serie A season with Sassuolo. He certainly adds quality in the final third, as he was their top scorer last season with 12 Serie A goals.
With Davide Frattesi out on loan to Inter Milan, Andrea Pinamonti and Armand Lauriente will join Berardi up front. Pinamonti and Lauriente registered 12 Serie A goals combined last term.
Maxime Lopez is another key player for the Neroverdi, as he was a bright spot against Atalanta. The Frenchman completed 78 passes, which is at least 10 more than any other midfielder in the Italian top-flight.
History
Napoli have only lost one of their last 15 Serie A matches against Sassuolo (W8, D6), with the loss being a 2-0 result in November 2020 at home as Maxime Lopez and Manuel Locatelli found the back of the net.
The Partenopei could win four matches in a row against the Neroverdi for the first time in Serie A history if they win again on Sunday.
And all signs point to that happening since they have won both of their first two league matches of a season in eight of their last 12 campaigns, with no other team having more in the same period.
Moreover, Sassuolo are in poor form dating back to the end of the 2022-23 campaign, as they haven’t won in seven straight league matches (D2, L5).
Betting Tip
Napoli are the favourites to win this weekend, based on the SBOTOP Serie A 2023 odds. The Partenopei are priced at 1.31, while a Sassuolo victory is at 6.80, and a draw is at 5.20 in the 1X2 market.
The return of Domenico Berardi is great for Sassuolo, but Napoli’s firepower is going to be too much to handle for the visitors, hence the recommended bet above. For alternative bets, you can’t go wrong going for Total Goal 2-3 at 2.22, while Correct Score 2-0 for Napoli, just like in their previous meeting, also offers a generous payout of 7.20.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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