In a thrilling Serie A clash, Napoli, the beleaguered defending champions, are set to face off against Salernitana, who currently reside at the bottom of the league table.
Both teams are desperate for a victory to improve their standing. This match, taking place at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, promises to be an intriguing battle between two struggling giants.
Match Preview:
Napoli’s recent managerial change has not yielded the desired results, with Walter Mazzarri struggling to extract consistent performances from his team.
Last week’s disheartening 3-0 defeat to Torino only compounded their woes.
Despite winning the Scudetto last season, Napoli finds themselves in ninth place, with only one victory under Mazzarri’s tenure.
However, they remain within striking distance of the top six and have a chance to climb up the table if they can string together some wins.
Salernitana, led by Filippo Inzaghi, narrowly missed out on a positive result against Juventus in their previous game. They will be hoping to capitalize on Napoli’s struggles and secure a favorable outcome.
Although Salernitana has struggled on the road this season, their recent away victory against Hellas Verona will give them confidence heading into this match.
Team News:
Napoli will be without Victor Osimhen and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, who are away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Additionally, Pasquale Mazzocchi, a recent acquisition from Salernitana, will miss the game due to suspension. The absence of Alex Meret, Natan Souza, and Mathias Olivera through injuries further complicates Napoli’s lineup.
Salernitana, on the other hand, will be missing Giulio Maggiore, who was sent off in their previous match against Juventus.
Lorenzo Pirola and Grigoris Kastanos are also sidelined with injuries, while Boulaye Dia is expected to be out for several weeks due to a hamstring problem.
Lassana Coulibaly and Jovane Cabral are unavailable as they represent Mali and Cape Verde in the Cup of Nations.
Possible Lineups:
Napoli: (4-3-3)
Gollini;
Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Jesus, Rui;
Cajuste, Lobotka, Zielinski;
Politano, Raspadori, Kvaratskhelia
Salernitana: (3-5-2)
Costil;
Daniliuc, Gyomber, Fazio;
Sambia, Candreva, Logowski, Botheim, Bradaric;
Tchaouna, Simy
Prediction: Napoli 1-1 Salernitana
Despite Napoli’s struggles and Salernitana’s position at the bottom of the table, this match is not guaranteed to result in a clear victory for either team.
Napoli’s home form has been shaky, winning only one of their last five matches at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Considering Salernitana’s recent away win and their desire to capitalize on Napoli’s vulnerabilities, we predict a hard-fought 1-1 draw.
