Napoli-Cremonese is a Serie A Week 22 match to be played on Sunday at 20:45: odds, predictions, TV and streaming.
Napoli’s perfect machine has jammed a few, very few times this season. Disappointments – if disappointments one can speak of – can be counted on the fingers of one hand for Luciano Spalletti’s men, but among them is the resounding elimination from the Coppa Italia at the hands of the unsuspected Cremonese. Not even a month ago, at the ‘Maradona’, the grigiorossi, widely believed to be doomed, conquered a historic qualification after penalty kicks – the match finished 2-2 – ousting the partenopei from one of the three competitions.
A match in which perhaps the Tuscan coach exaggerated with the turnover, convinced that he could rest everyone. But nevertheless well prepared by the Lombardi, who just a few days before had changed coach. Away went Massimiliano Alvini, in came Davide Ballardini. A few weeks later, Cremonese took the scalp of Roma, reaching the semi-final (they will face Fiorentina, ed.), but the unexpected joy of the cup has not had any positive effect on the championship, where the grigiorossa team continues to accumulate defeat after defeat and to postpone the appointment with the first victory. Since the ex-Genoa coach has been on the bench, Carnesecchi and his teammates have collected just one point, the result of the draw in Bologna. Last weekend the euphoria generated by the victory at the Olimpico was immediately dissolved following the bitter internal knockout against a direct competitor such as Lecce, who went down 2-0 at the ‘Zini’. Cremonese remains therefore desolately last in the standings with 8 points, ten less than the fourth-last Spezia.
The most classic of head-to-heads
Napoli regained their pre-World Cup cruising speed instead. Even Spezia had to surrender to the fury of the partenopei: in Liguria it was almost all easy (0-3) for the azzurri, dragged by an increasingly devastating Osimhen and by an inspired Kvaratskhelia. Fifth win in a row for the Serie A leaders, who bounced back in a big way after the San Siro defeat to Inter on their return from the break.
Tsadjout
Napoli who, however, still cannot afford to lift their foot off the accelerator, despite the huge lead over second place (+13) somehow allowing them to do so. The Coppa Italia – but also the first leg, where Napoli’s performance did not go smoothly, although the 4-1 final result says otherwise – teaches that Cremonese cannot be underestimated in any way, despite the fact that there is a real gulf between the two teams, especially in terms of numbers. The best attack in the tournament (51 goals) faces the second worst defence: only Salernitana have conceded more goals than the grigiorossi.
Napoli-Cremonese: the latest line-up news
The Champions League returns in a fortnight for Napoli, which is why Spalletti does not need to make too many changes. The Azzurri will take the field with the standard formation, although the coach is struggling with the usual ballots. In the attacking trident, Lozano, Elmas and Politano will compete for a shirt, while Mario Rui will win the duel with Olivera on the left-hand side of defence.
Ballardini, who will not be able to count on Okereke and Dessers in Naples, has to cope with the heavy absences of his two starting strikers. The attacking tandem will therefore be formed by the experienced Ciofani and former Roma player Afena-Gyan. Lochoshvili will also forfeit, while Benassi and Buonaiuto are also strongly in doubt.
The prediction
Napoli, mindful of what happened in the Coppa Italia a month ago, will not make a mistake in their approach to the match this time and should secure a comfortable victory. A prolific afternoon at the ‘Maradona’ is conceivable, in which the total goals could be at least three.
Napoli v Cremonese likely line-up
- NAPOLI (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Kim, Mario Rui; Zambo Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Lozano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia.
- CREMONESE (3-5-2): Carnesecchi; Ferrari, Chiriches, Vasquez; Sernicola, Benassi, Meité, Pickel, Valeri; Ciofani, Afena-Gyan.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-0
