Napoli vs Roma Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Napoli were not expected to propel themselves straight back into the Serie A title race this season but that has been what has happened in the opening few months as they now prepare to welcome Roma to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona this weekend.
Kick-off date/time: Sunday 24th November, 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 – TNT Sports & OneFootball / US – Paramount+
Napoli Preview: Surprising start from the Neapolitans
The 2022/23 Serie A winners Napoli finished ninth last season and burned through three managers with Antonio Conte taking over this summer with the Italian coach doing his thing of unnecessarily whinging until the Neapolitans were pressured into spending over £100 million on new talent just before the close of the summer transfer window.
After losing 3-0 to Hellas Verona at the Bentegodi on the opening day of the campaign, the Neapolitans have since suffered just one more defeat in their next 11 matches as they begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting at the top-of-the-table after a draw with Internazionale at San Siro a couple of weeks ago.
Roma Preview: Roman ruins
Over the November international break, Roma decided to part company with Croatian boss Igor Tudor after a couple of months of underperformance. The Giallorossi had already sacked club legend Daniele De Rossi in mid-September with another club legend, Claudio Ranieri, returning to become Roma boss ahead of the restart following his retirement at the end of last season.
The Romans begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting in the bottom-half of the table with just three victories in their opening 12 matches. They sit just six points and a few places above the bottom three and the relegation places. Their most recent outing saw them suffer a 3-2 defeat to Bologna at the Stadio Olimpico a couple of weeks ago.
Napoli Team News: No Folorunsho
Napoli have no fresh injury concerns for this one and Conte likes to stick with a consistent eleven so it is unlikely they will make any changes for this one.
Italy international midfielder Michael Folorunsho, formerly of Hellas Verona, is sidelined for the league leaders due to a muscle injury but he hasn’t been a starter for the hosts anyway.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Mathias Olivera; Anguissa, Gilmour, McTominay; Politano, Lukaku, Kvaratskhelia
Unavailable: Folorunsho (Injured)
Questionable:
Roma Team News: A few issues
Mario Hermoso, who has recently been heavily linked with Real Madrid, is an injury doubt for this weekend’s clash against Napoli alongside a couple of other issues.
Summer signing Alexis Saelemaekers and Paulo Dybala are also doubtful, whilst Uzbekistan international Eldor Shomurodov is sidelined for the Romans.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Tasende; Celik, Cristante, Kone, El Shaarawy; Matias Soule, Pisilli; Dovbyk
Unavailable: Shomurodov (Injured)
Questionable: Mario Hermoso (Injured), Saelemaekers (Injured), Dybala (Injured)
Napoli vs Roma Prediction
Antonio Conte takes on an old adversary in Claudio Ranieri this weekend with his Napoli side looking to maintain top spot in Serie A. It is quite remarkable that 12 games into the campaign, the Neapolitans could be knocked off their perch by as many as five different teams this weekend. They have scored just 19 goals in 12 games, though, as they welcome a Roma side preparing to re-learn the basics of defensive football under Ranieri so a low-scoring affair is to be expected in Naples this weekend.
Napoli vs Roma Tip: Under 2.5 goals
