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After a worrying summer and troubling start to the season, Napoli head into this weekend looking to properly re-establish themselves as one of Italy’s best sides as they now face Monza at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Sunday 29th September, 2024 - UK – 11:30am / US ET – 2:00pm / US PT – 7:45pm
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 – TNT Sports & OneFootball / US – Paramount+
NAPOLI PREVIEW: CONTE’S INFLUENCE
Napoli, under the management of Antonio Conte, have started the season by collecting ten points from their opening five matches. That is extremely impressive given the saga surrounding Victor Osimhen over the summer, a defeat on the opening day of the season and constant whinging from Conte with regards to their summer business.
The Neapolitans come into this one on the back of a 5-0 thrashing of Palermo in their most recent outing in the second round of the Coppa Italia with Scott McTominay getting his first Napoli goal. McTominay also enjoyed a good performance against Juventus in a goalless draw in Turin last weekend.
MONZA PREVIEW: NESTA’S INFLUENCE
The Berlusconi-owned Monza remain an ambitious club but lost manager Raffaele Palladino to Fiorentina over the summer just as they were about to kick on and push towards a top-half finish or try to challenge for a top seven or eight finish and potential UEFA competition qualification this season.
Former AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta has taken charge after an underwhelming stint with Reggiana and they have started slowly with three draws and two defeats in their opening five matches. Their goal scoring has been a major issue and they come into this one on the back of a 2-1 defeat at home to Bologna before a cup win against Brescia.
NAPOLI TEAM NEWS: NO MERET
Napoli’s first-choice goalkeeper Alex Meret is unavailable for this weekend’s visit of Monza due to a muscle injury so Conte will have to call upon Elia Caprile.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Caprile; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka; Politano, McTominay, Kvaratskhelia; Lukaku
UNAVAILABLE: Meret (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
MONZA TEAM NEWS: A FEW DOUBTS
There are several concerns for Monza this weekend with the experience of Samuele Vignato and Roberto Gagliardini unable to be counted on with Alessio Cragno and Dany Mota among the doubts.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-2-1): Turati; D’Ambrosio, Caldirola, Carboni; Pereira, Pessina, Valoti, Kyriakopoulos; Maldini, Caprari; Djuric
UNAVAILABLE: Vignato (Injured), Ciurria (Injured), Gagliardini (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Cragno (Injured), Birindelli (Injured), Dany Mota (Injured)
NAPOLI VS MONZA PREDICTION
This has the potential be really one-sided and potentially even a heavy win for the home team. Antonio Conte’s side have really turned things around ever since their poor start to the campaign and have now re-emerged as one of the best in the country. They face a Monza side that have been really underwhelming throughout the campaign and have also badly struggled for goals. The likelihood is a comfortable and potentially heavy Napoli win.
NAPOLI VS MONZA TIP: NAPOLI TO WIN -1 HANDICAP