Napoli vs AC Milan
Serie A action returns with a cracker at the Stadio Diego Maradona on Sunday, when runaway leaders Napoli take on top four chasers AC Milan.
The Serie A 2023 betting odds have pretty much closed the book on the 2023 Scudetto with I Partonepei potentially a couple of weeks away from clinching the title after a phenomenal campaign.
Meanwhile, I Rossoneri have a lot of work to do to hold on to their fourth place with Roma and Atalanta breathing down their necks and Juventus catching up quickly.
Napoli went into the international break with a 4-0 victory away to Torino, while Milan were on the end of a 3-1 defeat to Udinese. I see no reason why the leaders should start to stutter as they haven’t so far and are nearly out of sight, while I Rossoneri have a bit of convincing to do.
Talking Points
Kvaradona is becoming unstoppable
With a 19-point lead at the top of the table, Napoli are pretty much uncatchable and they have a player in their ranks who few others in Italy can live with.
22-year-old Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, with 12 goals and 10 assists in his first Napoli campaign, has just picked up his third Player of the Month Award for March to add to his two previous awards in August and February.
Anybody who thought the Georgian winger may have been fading after an explosive start to life in Italy had another think coming as he roared back in the New Year and has been sensational, making more than his fair share of Serie A 2023 highlights.
Partonepei fans and the media have nicknamed him “Kvaradona” in honour of the great Naples legend Maradona. He has a way to go to reach those heights, but his tight ball control, electric turn of pace, and superb crossing and shooting skills make Kvaratskhelia an exciting prospect.
Napoli passed the Torino test with flying colours and while Kvaradona converted a penalty, Victor Osimhen scored a brace to make it 21 goals from 23 games, putting the lethal Nigerian in pole position to win the Capocannoniere.
With quality all around the field, from Alex Meret in the goals, skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo in defence, and Piotr Zielinski in midfield, this is a team capable of winning the Italian and Champions Leagues.
As we reported here at SBOTOP, head coachLuciano Spalletti has just won the Enzo Bearzot award for the Best Coach of the Year and it’s not the only thing he’s going to win this season.
Milan’s young boys need to find a way
Milan and Napoli have been drawn together in the Champions League quarter-final and Rossoneri head coach Stefano Pioli doesn’t sound too thrilled by the prospect of meeting the Partonepei twice in such a short space of time.
His team won the Scudetto last term but he has excused their weaker campaign this time; saying: “Only a few teams manage to repeat and be competitive in Europe as well. It’s a leap we didn’t make, but this year will still give us the chance to grow, understand many things, and improve to become an even stronger club.”
Pioli went on to say that Napoli is a quality team with great players, and he will be priming his young stars to try to match them on Sunday and in the Champions League on 12th April.
Rafael Leao is performing to high standards again, while Brahim Diaz and Sandro Tonali are both making good progress, but they will come up against the champions elect on Sunday and they need to put in their best performance of the season to come away with a result.
History
The head-to-heads have gone back and forth over the past three decades, and Napoli have won three of the last four meetings with I Rossoneri to go ahead by 15 victories to 13, and there have been 16 draws.
Napoli are on a winning streak of three, while Milan are winless in four. And with a home record of 11 victories, one draw, and one defeat this season, Spalletti’s men are hot favourites to nudge ever nearer the Scudetto on Sunday.
Betting Tip
Napoli can be backed at 1.72 to win this game with Milan at 4.07, and the draw is at 3.40, so I expect he hosts to deliver. Pioli’s Milan are in a fierce battle for a top four place and they will fight tooth and nail, but the odds are stacked against them in Naples, and they will do well to escape with a point.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
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⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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