Napoli’s pursuit of the Scudetto continues on Sunday as they travel to struggling Spezia after extending their lead over the competition with another victory last weekend.
In the Serie A rankings, their victory against Roma in the Derby del Sole put them 13 points ahead of their nearest competitors; in contrast, their opponents, who have now dropped back-to-back games, are just above the relegation zone.
Victor Osimhen of Napoli, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Giovanni Di Lorenzo celebrate their team’s first goal on January 13, 2023.
With a victory against their southern rivals Roma at Stadio Maradona last Sunday, Napoli began the second half of their remarkably successful season with another league victory.
The Giallorossi tied the score late in the second half to create a thrilling finish after Victor Osimhen’s amazing opening goal had set the tone for an exciting game. Giovanni Simeone then scored his sixth goal this season while on the bench to give the Partenopei the victory.
After incumbent champions Milan lost last weekend as well, Simeone’s 70th Serie A goal puts them out of reach at the top, and Inter are now their closest rivals.
As is customary for winners, Napoli has scored 19 goals this season in the final half-hour of games, with 12 of those goals coming in the final 15 minutes. On the other hand, they have only given up four times after an hour.
The Campanian team would post more than 100 points if they maintained their current rate of play, which is the best average among the top five leagues in Europe in 2022–23. Only Antonio Conte’s Juventus of 2013–14 have ever achieved triple digits in the Italian first flight.
Although they just lost to a Cremonese team in the Coppa Italia, Luciano Spalletti’s team is now the heavy favorite to snap their 33-year Scudetto drought. They will also begin their Champions League campaign later this month.
But between now and then, there are three domestic games that appear to be simple. In the first one, Napoli travels to a place where they have performed well since Spezia was promoted in 2020.
Spezia has lost the teams’ last two meetings without scoring after suffering a 1-0 loss in the teams’ September rematch, which was played at Stadio Picco, where the teams had met twice in Serie A.
Luca Gotti’s team visited the city last month unbeaten in five league games and with consecutive clean sheets after a good but unspectacular start to the new year. However, they subsequently followed a 2-0 loss to Roma with a similar result in Bologna.
As a result, Spezia has now gone three games without scoring in the league, and only Sampdoria has failed to score in more Serie A games altogether.
The Ligurians can at least return to La Spezia this weekend after suffering their eighth defeat on the road in ten tries, but they also have to play an in-form Empoli and a hurt Juventus in the next two weeks, so hosting Napoli is far from ideal.
Before the winter break, any risk of slipping into the bottom three appeared remote, but Spezia now lie only five points ahead of 18th place with a surging Verona hot on their heels, and a relegation struggle can’t be ruled out.
As a result, Spezia has now gone three games without scoring in the league, and only Sampdoria has failed to score in more Serie A games altogether.
The Ligurians can at least return to La Spezia this weekend after suffering their eighth defeat on the road in ten tries, but they also have to play an in-form Empoli and a hurt Juventus in the next two weeks, so hosting Napoli is far from ideal.
Before the winter break, any risk of slipping into the bottom three appeared remote, but Spezia now lie only five points ahead of 18th place with a surging Verona hot on their heels, and a relegation struggle can’t be ruled out.
Spezia, in contrast to their opponents, will have one of their toughest tests of the season due to a large absence list that includes several key team members.
Emmanuel Gyasi must serve a ban, and M’Bala Nzola, another forward, joins Simone Bastoni in the injured list. Even the coach, Luca Gotti, had hip surgery and might not be able to stand on the sidelines.
Szymon Zurkowski, a January acquisition, is also absent, although more recent additions Eldor Shomurodov and Salvatore Esposito are expected to play right away.
Dragowski, Ampadu, Caldara, Nikolaou, Amian, Esposito, Ampadu, Bourabia, Reca, Verde, and Shomurodov might all make the Spezia starting lineup.
Meret, Di Lorenzo, Kim, Rrahmani, Rui, Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski, Lozano, Osimhen, and Kvaratskhelia might all make the Napoli starting lineup.
Say what? Spezia 0–2 Napoli
The Napoli juggernaut won’t be stopped in Sunday’s early kickoff, and recent results indicate that the home team may lose without scoring. They will undoubtedly lose to the Azzurri again this season without a few key players.
Please click here for data analysis of the match’s most likely outcomes, scorelines, and more.
