Napoli v Roma is a Serie A Week 20 match to be played on Sunday at 20:45: fixtures, predictions, TV and streaming
José Mourinho, like the skilful tactician he has always been, intended in his press conference to congratulate Napoli on the Scudetto, despite there still being a whole round of fixtures to play. We don’t know if the Portuguese coach’s remark was an excess of frankness or an attempt to destabilise, but the fact remains that after the last day the Azzurri are really starting to smell the scent of the Scudetto.
The pursuers have all slowed down: Milan were buried by goals from Lazio, Inter were surprised at the San Siro by Empoli, and Juventus ended up in the back of the table due to the penalty. On the other hand, Luciano Spalletti’s team made no mistake, winning the Campania derby against Salernitana (0-2) with Di Lorenzo and Osimhen, avoiding the possible ‘trap’ at the Arechi and further extending their lead over second place. The twelve-point advantage over the Rossoneri certifies the Parthenopean breakaway, and frankly we do not feel we can blame Mourinho when he says he is convinced that there is no one, for the moment, who can keep up with Napoli. Fifty are the points collected by the Azzurri at the halfway mark: only four other times in the history of the Italian league had a team been able to win at least 16 of the first 19 days of Serie A.
Napoli’s impressive numbers
Roma will try, in the big match at the ‘Maradona’, to undermine what is to all intents and purposes a battleship with 46 goals scored and 14 conceded (best attack and best defence).
Dybala
Like their cousins Lazio, the Giallorossi also benefited from the penalty inflicted on Juve, and thanks to two straight wins, without conceding a goal, against Fiorentina and Spezia, they find themselves level on points with Sarri’s Biancocelesti and Inter, just a point behind second-placed Milan. Roma are in full Champions League contention, even if they are struggling with the thorny issue of Zaniolo: in the last few days the striker has asked for a transfer – as confirmed by Mourinho himself in a conference – but he has refused the only offer (from Bournemouth, ed.) and now the risk that he will remain in the stands for the next six months is very high, taking into account that for the Portuguese coach he is now out of the technical project.
Napoli v Roma: latest line-up news
Spalletti with the standard formation, in which Kvaratskhelia’s talent, recovered from the flu, will shine once again. In the attacking trident, with the Georgian and Osimhen, there should be a place for Elmas, who is currently in better shape than Politano and Lozano. In the middle, the usual Lobotka is in charge, surrounded by Anguissa and Zielinski.
Everything is also defined for Mourinho. The only doubt for the Giallorossi coach is in midfield, where one of Cristante and Matic could give way to youngsters Bove and Tahirovic. The disqualified Celik is absent on the right flank: Zalewski will be adapted in that area of the pitch, with Spinazzola returning and taking his place on the left. Up front Dybala and Pellegrini will support Abraham, who broke through last Sunday in La Spezia.
The prediction
Napoli have been unbeaten in eight of their last nine matches against Roma, although it’s a fact that for a few years now the clashes between the Azzurri and the Giallorossi haven’t yielded many goals and we’re talking about very narrow victories, like the first leg. This could also be the case this time, considering the good moment that Mourinho’s team is going through, one of those that has collected more clean sheets. We’re likely to see a match of less than three goals overall.
Napoli v Roma likely lineup
- NAPOLI (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Kim, Mario Rui; Zambo Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Elmas, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia.
- ROMA (3-4-2-1): Rui Patricio; Mancini, Smalling, Ibanez; Zalewski, Cristante, Matic, Spinazzola; Pellegrini, Dybala; Abraham.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
