Napoli, the Serie A champions of the previous season, are having a tough time this year, facing uncertainties of finishing outside the top five.
On the other hand, Fiorentina looks promising as they gear up for an important match against Napoli at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.
Match Preview
While Napoli’s season fell apart, Fiorentina can still secure a European trophy.
La Viola have qualified for the Conference League final for the second straight season. They will face Greece’s Olympiacos for the trophy. However, before the final, Fiorentina will host Napoli, with three important points at stake.
Fiorentina earned 10 points from their last six Serie A games, scoring 11 goals and conceding six. They secured victory against Monza (2-1) in their last match.
The Stadio Artemio Franchi has been a stronghold, with Fiorentina recording 10 wins, 4 draws, and 4 losses, with a goal difference of +15. Fiorentina’s last two home games ended in 5-1 and 2-1 victories.
Napoli, on the other hand, only secured six points from their last six matches. They were outscored 10-6 by opponents. Bologna recently defeated Napoli 2-0.
Despite their poor season, 27 of Napoli’s 51 points were earned on the road. The Partenopei outscored opponents away from home by 29-19.
Friday’s match will be the third between Fiorentina and Napoli this season. La Viola won their previous Serie A encounter 3-1 in Naples.
Josip Brekalo opened the scoring for Fiorentina, but Victor Osimhen equalized from the penalty spot.
Giacomo Bonaventura put Fiorentina back in the lead in the 63rd minute, and Nico Gonzalez sealed the win in stoppage time.
The teams met again in the Coppa Italia. Napoli won 3-0. Giovanni Simeone scored in the 22nd minute, and Alessio Zerbin added two goals in the final six minutes.
Despite their decline this season, Napoli lead Serie A in shots per game, averaging 16.9.
They also have the best average possession per game at 58.6%. Osimhen has scored 15 of Napoli’s 53 goals.
Prediction & Analysis:
History favors Fiorentina in their encounters with Napoli this season, with a victory and a loss in Serie A and the Coppa Italia, respectively.
Napoli, despite leading in shots per game and possession stats, might struggle against Fiorentina’s strong home form.
- Fiorentina 1-1 Napoli
