Forget the bad night in Manchester and stay at full points in the league. These are Napoli’s goals in the postponed match against newly promoted Pisa, which closes the fourth day of Serie A. The Italian champions have got off to a flying start, proving they are the team to beat: nine points in the first three rounds and joint top of the table with Juventus; three wins against Sassuolo, Cagliari, and Fiorentina, conceding barely a goal.
And if against the Sardinians it took a late strike from Anguissa to take home the three points, in Florence Antonio Conte’s men literally overwhelmed the Viola, dominating for over eighty minutes of play, to the point that the final 3-1 score was even too close. It was a one-sided affair for the Azzurri. It is no coincidence that three of the new signings ended up on the scoresheet: De Bruyne, Hojlund, and Beukema all scored, proving that the transfer market has made the Neapolitans even stronger. The slight dip in the last 10 minutes does not detract from Napoli’s great performance, which, last Thursday, failed to avoid defeat in Manchester against Pep Guardiola’s City on the first day of the Champions League League Phase.
The match was affected by the sending off of captain Di Lorenzo midway through the first half: with one man down, it was very difficult to resist the relentless attacks of Haaland and his teammates.
In the second half, Napoli raised the white flag, but still managed to avoid a heavier defeat (2-0). Conte will try to turn the page immediately at the Maradona Stadium against Pisa: the Tuscan side, back in Serie A after more than thirty years, are struggling to adapt to the new category. The Nerazzurri have picked up one point in three games, coming off two home defeats to Roma and Udinese. The main problem for Alberto Gilardino’s team is an attack that, despite creating numerous chances, has failed to trouble the opposition’s defense: one goal in 270 minutes.
Napoli-Pisa: the latest news on the lineups
Conte is likely to rotate his goalkeepers again: this time Meret will play, preferred to Milinkovic-Savic, who was by far the best of his team on the night in Manchester. On the left side of defense, Gutierrez is back and ready to start, giving Spinazzola and Olivera a breather, but much will depend on the condition of the former Girona player.
On the other side, Gilardino is expected to opt for a more defensive formation: if he switches to 3-5-2, Tramoni will be left out, with only Moreo alongside Nzola. In defense, Bonfanti’s chances are looking up.
Odds comparison
The “Under 2.5” bet is quoted at 1.90 on Goldbet, Lottomatica, and Snai. The “No Goal” bet is quoted at 1.47 on Goldbet, Lottomatica, and Snai.
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The prediction
In the top 5 European leagues, Napoli is currently the team with the longest winning streak. The Neapolitans have not lost in 15 games (10 wins and 5 draws) and have won six of their last seven at home. Their desire to bounce back immediately and put the defeat in Manchester behind them should not be underestimated: it looks set to be a difficult evening for Pisa, who should at least avoid conceding a heavy defeat.
Probable lineups for Napoli-Pisa
NAPOLI (4-1-4-1): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Rahmani, Olivera; Gilmour; Politano, Elmas, De Bruyne, McTominay; Hojlund.
PISA (3-5-2): Semper; Canestrelli, Caracciolo, Bonfanti; Touré, Tramoni, Aebischer, Marin, Leris; Moreo, Nzola.
Will Napoli manage to keep a clean sheet?
Yes (76%, 91 Votes)
No (24%, 29 Votes)
Total Voters: 120
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-0