Verdict: Napoli win to nil
Best Odds: 19/20
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
Looking to take another giant leap towards this year’s Serie A crown, Napoli will welcome Genoa to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday night.
Napoli
Starting with the hosts, while Antonio Conte might have only arrived at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona last summer, Napoli have embarked on a sensational rise under the former Chelsea boss. Continuing to recite a string of plaudits from across the continent, the Azzurri are riding what has become a famous wave of momentum. Capitalising on Inter Milan’s recent blip, they have skyrocketed their way to the top of the Serie A standings and hold a three-point buffer over the defending champions. Last seen clinching a 1-0 victory away at Lecce, Napoli have won their previous four appearances by an aggregate score of 7-0. In fact, along with registering 13 points from their last five Serie A showdowns, Conte’s camp have suffered just a single defeat across any competition since the start of December.
Napoli Team News
Suffering yet another injury setback last month, Napoli are expected to be without former Ajax starlet David Neres for the remainder of the season. Likewise, not featuring since April 14th, veteran defender Juan Jesus will not feature on Sunday night.
Bagging five goals in his previous four Serie A appearances and enjoying what has been a remarkable maiden campaign in Naples, ex-Manchester United star Scott McTominay will look to extend on his remarkable run. Bagging the winner against Lecce last week, Giacomo Raspadori should partner Romelu Lukaku in attack.
Genoa
As for the visitors, essentially sat in Serie A limbo for large spells of this season, Genoa are limping their way over the finishing line. Eventually falling to a 2-1 loss at home against AC Milan on Monday night, Patrick Vieira’s men have lost each of their previous three straight top-flight appearances. Signing off April 27th with a 1-0 loss at the hands of Como, the former Crystal Palace boss has struggled to offer any real stability. Marking their return from March’s international break with a 1-0 defeat against Italian giants Juventus, Genoa have won just a trio of their last 13 Serie A outings. Facing what appears to be a monumental challenge this weekend, the Griffins also slumped to a 2-1 loss when they welcomed Napoli to Liguria for their reverse meeting on December 21st.
Genoa Team News
Shown what was a costly first-leg booking against AC Milan on Monday night, Norway international Morten Thorsby will miss out through suspension here. Likewise, dealing with a stacked injury list, Genoa will also be unable to call upon the likes of Russian Malinovsky and West Ham loanee Maxwel Cornet.
Coming off the bench and bagging a consolation strike against Milan earlier in the week, Vitinha could be handed a full recall in attack. Reportedly attracting Premier League interest ahead of the summer, Koni De Winter will partner Johan Vasquez at the heart of Vieira’s defence.
Napoli vs Genoa Key Factors to Consider
- When Napoli travelled to Liguria for their reverse Serie A meeting on December 21st, Conte’s side collected a 2-1 victory.
- Napoli have won their previous four consecutive Serie A appearances by an aggregate score of 7-0.
- The Serie A leaders have suffered just a single defeat across any competition since the start of December.
- Genoa have registered just a trio of victories from any of their previous 13 straight Serie A appearances.
- The Griffins have failed to win any of their nine showdowns outside of Liguria so far this calendar year.
Conclusion
Looking to take another giant leap towards this season’s Serie A crown, Napoli will be smelling a golden opportunity here. Embarking on what has become a sensational purple patch, Conte’s side have certainly hit top gear at a crucial time. Along with winning their previous four straight Serie A appearances by an aggregate score of 7-0, Sunday’s hosts have suffered just a single defeat across any competition since the start of December. With Genoa losing their last three top-flight showdowns, the griffins couldn’t have asked for a tougher challenge here.
Verdict: Napoli win to nil
Best Odds: 19/20
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
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