Hellas Verona vs Napoli Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 Italian Serie A
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Perennial strugglers from the last few years and a squad that is always changing, Hellas Verona begin their 2024/25 Serie A season at the Bentegodi against a Napoli side that will be looking to restore some pride after a pathetic defence of the Italian title last season.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Sunday 18th August, 2024 - UK – 5:30pm / US ET – 12:30pm / US PT – 9:30am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – TNT Sports OR Not televised / US – Select matches will be televised on CBS Sports so it is worth checking their schedule
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – discovery+ OR Cannot be streamed / US – Paramount+
HELLAS VERONA PREVIEW: TREADING WATER IN VERONA
There is going to be a concern that if Hellas Verona stand still or even ever so slightly move backwards this season then they are destined for Serie B. They enjoyed a positive end to the campaign last season to steer clear and move into mid-table but Marco Baroni has since moved on to Lazio and been replaced by former Empoli boss Paolo Zanetti.
As well as the loss of Baroni, I Gialloblu have also lost a few key players with Fabien Centonze and Karol Swiderski returning at the end of their loan deals and, most notably, Tijjani Noslin following Baroni to the Stadio Olimpico. There is a lot of hope in some fairly unknown signings, such as Daniel Mosquera from Atletico Nacional and Dailon Livramento from Maastricht.
NAPOLI PREVIEW: THE TOXICITY OF CONTE
Antonio Conte is already whinging. The former Italian international midfielder has an excellent managerial CV and when his teams get it right they can actually be exhilarating to watch, despite the reputation. However, it is his constant whining that winds people up and he is already at it with Napoli no closer to finalising their squad.
There is an expectation that Victor Osimhen will eventually leave and Romelu Lukaku will eventually arrive at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona but neither deals are close. Controversial president Aurelio Di Laurentiis and manager Antonio Conte does appear a match made in hell.
HELLAS VERONA TEAM NEWS: SMALL BUT FIT SQUAD
Paolo Zanetti will have to deal with quite a small squad this summer unless Verona, like they did last summer, have another late splurge of incomings before the end of the transfer window.
One of his new signings from this window, Martin Frese who joined from Nordsjaelland, is set to be unavailable with inflammation in the knee and he missed their Coppa Italia first round tie last week.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Montipo; Tchatchoua, Magnani, Coppola, Okou; Duda, Serdar; Suslov, Harroui, Lazovic; Daniel Mosquera
UNAVAILABLE: Frese (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
NAPOLI TEAM NEWS: NO ISSUES FOR NAPOLI
Antonio Conte does have the benefit of having what is a fully fit and available squad this weekend, albeit the aforementioned Victor Osimhen may well not involved in order to protect his value ahead of a move.
Another key man to replace is Piotr Zielinski, who has joined defending champions Internazionale on a free transfer, but it will be interesting to see how Conte fits this squad into his 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 system.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno; Mazzocchi, Anguissa, Lobotka, Spinazzola; Politano, Raspadori, Kvaratskhelia
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
HELLAS VERONA VS NAPOLI PREDICTION
Hellas Verona have several off-field issues, hence the amount of business late in transfer windows that they have had to do in both the last summer and January, and will be reliant on the fire-fighting abilities of Paolo Zanetti. Napoli, on the other hand, are also a club edging towards simply being on fire after the defence of their Scudetto last season saw them finish in the middle-of-the-table. Under 2.5 goals seems inevitable for two teams that do not look in good shape to kick off this weekend.
HELLAS VERONA VS NAPOLI TIP: UNDER 2.5 GOALS
