Napoli and AC Milan take on each other in a titanic Serie A clash that could shape the Scudetto title race this season.
Second-placed Napoli and third-placed AC Milan will take on each other in the weekend’s standout Serie A fixture at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Sunday.
Both sides trail defending champions and table toppers Inter Milan by a solitary point and could go top of the league should they secure a win on the night. The Nerazzurri will have a game in hand, meaning that neither Milan nor Napoli can afford to settle for a point.
Napoli were unceremoniously dumped out of the Europa League by Barcelona, meaning that the Partenopei have little to play for apart from the league. This could see them go all out against the Rossoneri and take the game to their opponents. Milan, for their part, are coming off the back of a frustrating 0-0 draw in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg against Inter Milan and will be keen to discover their scoring touch.
Playing Napoli away from home is not an easy task, and Milan have won just one of their last 14 Serie A games at the venue. Stefano Pioli will be keen to put that record to bed on Sunday. Securing all three points on the night could very well see both Milan clubs take on each other in the final run-up to decide the league title.
There is much to be played for, and Inter Milan, for one, will be keeping a keen eye on proceedings on Sunday. The Hard Tackle looks at how both teams could line up on the night and what to expect.
Team News & Tactics
Napoli
? Training on the eve of AC Milan clash
? #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/IiSg1KT5mU
— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) March 5, 2022
Luciano Spalletti will be without Kevin Malcuit and Axel Tuanzebe, but will welcome Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Hirving Lozano to his squad on Sunday. Napoli are coming off the back of a stoppage-time win over Lazio last time around and will hope to carry the momentum into the match. A win on the night will aid them massively in their pursuit of a first league title since 1990.
Spalletti is likely to deploy his side in a 4-2-3-1 formation. David Ospina will start in goal behind a back four of Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Kalidou Koulibaly and Mario Rui. The double-pivot of Stanislav Lobotka and Fabian Ruiz will provide difficult competition for Sandro Tonali and Ismael Bennacer in the middle of the park.
Piotr Zielinski will aim to pull the strings in attack from the No. 10 role, while Lorenzo Insigne and Matteo Politano will look to wreak havoc from the flanks. Victor Osimhen will lead the line and should give the Milan defenders enough to worry about.
Napoli have been inconsistent this season and have often lacked the cutting edge. Whether they will do the double over Milan or fall flat, handing the title initiative to both the Milan clubs, remains to be seen.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Ospina; Rui, Koulibaly, Rrahmani, Di Lorenzo; Lobotka, Ruiz; Insigne, Zielinski, Politano; Osimhen
AC Milan
Stefano Pioli is well aware of his side’s rather inconsistent form of late and believes that they will need to show fight and determination to turn around their results. Having put up a disappointing performance in midweek against Inter, the onus is on the Rossoneri to grab the game against Napoli by the scruff of the neck.
Defender Alessio Romagnoli was forced off injured midweek and is unlikely to make the cut for the game. He joins long term absentee Simon Kjaer on the sidelines. Pierre Kalulu did a fine job deputising for Romagnoli and is likely to get the nod in the starting XI.
Davide Calabria was handed some much-needed rest against Inter and should return to the lineup at right-back. Pioli has been handed a further boost given the availability of midfielder Sandro Tonali, who is set to return from suspension. The Italian’s return is likely to see him replace Rade Krunic in the starting lineup, freeing Franck Kessie to push forward and perform as a No. 10 if needed.
Milanello: on the ball ⚽#NapoliMilan #SempreMilan@BitMEX pic.twitter.com/HsB4vBSfQq
— AC Milan (@acmilan) March 4, 2022
Veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been out of action for some time now, but has been seen in training recently. There is a possibility that the Swede could find a spot for himself on the bench, coming on if needed as a substitute. Given his age and lack of match practice, easing the Swede back into the lineup rather than throwing him into the deep end seems the best way forward.
Pioli has been especially partial to a 4-2-3-1 formation this season, and he is unlikely to waver from using it. Mike Maignan is a sure starter in goal and will defend behind a back four of Calabria, Kalulu, Fikayo Tomori and Theo Hernandez. Sandro Tonali and Ismael Bennacer will start as the double pivot, freeing up Kessie to play further forward as a No. 10.
Junior Messias looked dangerous coming off the bench against Inter and is expected to displace Alexis Saelemaekers from the starting spot on the right wing for the night. The electric Rafael Leao will occupy the opposite flank, with Olivier Giroud leading the line.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Kalulu, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Tonali, Bennacer; Messias, Kessie, Leao; Giroud
Key Stats
- AC Milan have won only one of their last 14 Serie A matches against Napoli. The latter certainly have had the upper hand, winning eight of these games.
- Milan have not won two straight games away to Napoli since 1981. Their last win at the venue was in 2020.
- Napoli have won the most points in the second half of the current Serie A season. They have picked up 18 points in eight games compared to the 15 that Milan have managed.
- AC Milan have conceded seven goals from corners in Serie A this season, the second-worst record in the Italian top flight so far.
- This season, Napoli have scored ten goals from outside the box in Serie A, a top-flight high. Milan come in second with nine strikes from distance.
Player to Watch
Franck Kessie
The Ivory Coast international is one of Milan’s best players when on form and will be called upon to make a difference against Napoli. With Sandro Tonali back, Kessie will likely be deployed further up the field as a No. 10.
Neither Brahim Diaz nor Rade Krunic have shown enough imagination to pull the strings as attacking midfielders of late. This has seen the Rossoneri draw three games on the trot in all competitions. Kessie has shown himself to be a skilled operator, capable of making excellent runs into the box while also possessing an eye for goal.
The 25-year-old has the capability to be the match-winner on the night. Kessie can connect the Milan midfield with the attack and could boost the visitors’ attack significantly. One cannot bet against the Ivorian when he is on song.
Prediction
Napoli 1-2 AC Milan
There is little to separate the teams, and it promises to be a close game that could be decided on the finest margins. Napoli won the reverse fixture 1-0 and have historically held the upper hand at home against Milan in recent times.
While they do go into the game as favourites, Milan are the strongest they have been in years and have enough in the tank to punish Luciano Spalletti’s side. In a hard-fought match, three points are all that matters, and Milan certainly have the quality to make that happen.
