Juventus vs Napoli Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 Italian Serie A
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We have a fascinating and exciting encounter taking place at the J Stadium in Turin as Juventus and Napoli resume hostilities with more than just footballing rivalries at stake with Antonio Conte’s return underlining the north-south divide.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 21st September, 2024 - UK – 5:00pm / US ET – 12:00pm / US PT – 9:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Select matches will be televised on CBS Sports so it is worth checking their schedule
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Discovery+ or OneFootball / US – Paramount+
JUVENTUS PREVIEW: THIAGO MOTTA’S START
After pulling off something of a miracle to lead Bologna to fifth and UEFA Champions League qualification last season, former Internazionale defensive midfielder Thiago Motta was given the task of leading Juventus’ new era with a younger, fresher and more dynamic squad looking to evolve their style to something a little more progressive.
After five matches across all competitions so far this season, Juve remain unbeaten and have scored three goals in three of those matches. Frustratingly for the Bianconeri, though, would be that they do come into this one on the back of back-to-back goalless draws in Serie A against struggling Roma and Empoli.
NAPOLI PREVIEW: NAPOLI BACK TO BEING GOOD?
After a summer of whinging and then a bizarre end to the summer transfer window in which Victor Osimhen did eventually leave on loan to Galatasaray with Napoli still spending over £100 million, the Neapolitans may well have come through a brief dark time to establish themselves as a challenger once again.
In August, Napoli were hammered by three goals to nil on the opening day at the Bentegodi against Hellas Verona before fortuitous victories against Bologna and Parma. There was nothing fortuitous about their excellent and dominant 4-0 annihilation of Cagliari in Sardinia last weekend, though.
JUVENTUS TEAM NEWS: POTENTIAL ROTATION
With Juventus beginning their 2024/25 UEFA Champions League campaign in midweek, Thiago Motta may be tempted to rotate his Old Lady squad ahead of this one.
Juve remain without injured summer signing Francisco Conceicao with a muscle injury, whilst both Federico Gatti and Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik are doubtful.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Perin; Kalulu, Savona, Bremer, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Douglas Luiz; Gonzalez, Koopmeiners, Weah; Vlahovic
UNAVAILABLE: Conceicao (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Gatti (Injured), Milik (Injured)
NAPOLI TEAM NEWS: FULLY FIT AND AVAILABLE
Following the late summer splurge on the likes of David Neres, Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour, Antonio Conte does have a few headaches to manage for this weekend.
That said, the exciting front three of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Romelu Lukaku and Matteo Politano looks set to be pretty much set in stone with David Neres settling for a substitute role for now.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno; Mazzocchi, Anguissa, Lobotka, Spinazzola; Politano, Lukaku, Kvaratskhelia
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
JUVENTUS VS NAPOLI PREDICTION
We have two giants of Italian football that not many would have suggested could be involved in a title race this season but with Inter dropping points to Genoa and Monza early on, it is wide open at the top-of-the-table in Serie A. The two teams will both have cohesive attacking patterns of play but in very different styles with Conte’s more reactive approach seemingly perfectly suited to disrupt the possession-based approach of Motta.
JUVENTUS VS NAPOLI TIP: DOUBLE CHANCE – NAPOLI TO WIN OR DRAW
