Genoa vs Napoli Preview: Team News & Prediction
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
Genoa have steadied themselves and risen since the appointment of Patrick Vieira as they now welcome title challenging Napoli who got back on track with a comfortable win last weekend.
Kick-off date/time: Saturday 21st December, 2024: UK – 5:00pm / US ET – 12:00pm / US PT –9:00am
How to watch on TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – Select matches will be televised on CBS Sports so it is worth checking their schedule
How to watch online: UK – Premier Sports / US – Paramount+
Genoa Preview: Steady Vieira
Former Crystal Palace, New York City, Nice and Strasbourg boss Patrick Vieira was controversially appointed late in the November international break but things have actually started quite well and steadily in the following month as they push away from the bottom three.
They come into this one on the back of back-to-back goalless draws against Torino and then at San Siro against AC Milan last weekend. That means they are unbeaten in the four matches under Vieira with three draws and one win, as well as three successive clean sheets.
Napoli Preview: Improved attack
Antonio Conte has gone into title winning mode with Napoli regularly grinding out 1-0 or slender victories but the Neapolitans have had to become a little more threatening in attack after performances gave way to the odd poor result in the last month and a half or so.
For example, they followed up a 1-0 loss at home to Lazio a couple of weeks ago by heading up to Friuli to hammer Udinese by three goals to one last weekend thanks to strikes from Romelu Lukaku and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa as well as a Lautaro Giannetti own goal.
Genoa Team News: No Malinovskiy
After the sale of key attackers in the summer, Genoa are also dealing with several injury concerns for this weekend, too, as Ukraine international Ruslan Malinovskiy remains sidelined alongside Junior Messias with the likes of Koni De Winter and Caleb Ekuban injury doubts.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Leali; Vogliacco, Bani, Johan Vasquez, Caricol; Badelj, Frendrup; Zanoli, Thorsby, Miretti; Pinamonti
Unavailable: Ahanor (Injured), Malinovskiy (Injured), Junior Messias (Injured)
Questionable: De Winter (Injured), Ekhator (Injured), Ekuban (Injured)
Napoli Team News: Kvara-dona doubt
Georgia international Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is a key injury doubt for this weekend’s trip to Genoa with a slight knee issue. Key summer signing Alessandro Buongiorno is sidelined for the visitors alongside Portugal international Mario Rui.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Juan, Mathias Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka, McTominay; Politano, Lukaku, Kvaratskhelia
Unavailable: Buongiorno (Injured), Mario Rui (Injured), Mazzocchi (Injured)
Questionable: Kvaratskhelia (Injured)
Genoa vs Napoli Prediction
Genoa have struggled for goals throughout the campaign with just 13 scored in their 16 matches so far this season. Despite Vieira’s desire to play a more attractive style, his first task has been locking down the defence. They face a Napoli side that, as mentioned, are trying to grind out victories and grind their way to a fourth ever Scudetto. The visitors are the favourites for what is expected to be a low-scoring encounter at the Marasi.
Genoa vs Napoli Tip: Napoli to win & under 3.5 goals
