Runaway leaders SSC Napoli will welcome SS Lazio to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in the standout fixture of this weekend’s Serie A.
Serie A leaders Napoli will welcome Lazio to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on Friday in what will be a blockbuster clash for neutrals.
Luciano Spalletti’s side have lost just once in the league this season and have a sensational 18-point lead at the summit of the Italian top division. With just 14 games to go this season, the title is theirs to lose.
Lazio, on the other hand, are in the fourth spot, just ahead of AS Roma and Atalanta. Maurizio Sarri’s side have an opportunity to return to the UEFA Champions League and are likely to take the game to Napoli on the night.
A win will do little to dent Napoli’s title ambitions but would boost morale in the Lazio squad and also strengthen their hold on the fourth spot. More so, Lazio are also a mere two points off the second spot. And a win could very well push them up the table.
Both sides are among Italy’s best teams this season and are led by two managers who have developed their own style of football. Fireworks appear to be on the card in Naples and the clash is likely to be highly charged. The Hard Tackle looks at how both sides could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
SSC Napoli
💪 Fully focused
💙 #ForzaNapoliSempre #TuttoPerLei pic.twitter.com/l6Xg06fSNY
— Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) February 28, 2023
The Serie A leaders are still without Giacomo Raspadori, who is still not fully fit. Luciano Spalletti will also have to do with Mario Rui, who will serve a two-match suspension for his sending-off against Empoli at the weekend.
The home side does not have other absentees but could make a few changes to their starting XI. With games coming thick and fast, Napoli might ring in a few changes to keep their players fresh, but the core should largely remain intact.
Averaging three goals at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, Napoli are nothing short of a juggernaut at home and will take some stopping. They are unlikely to deviate from the 4-3-3 formation that has proven instrumental in their success.
Alex Meret will serve as the last line of defence and will be guarded by the back four of Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Kim Min-jae and Mathias Olivera. While Rui will be missed, Napoli have more than enough quality to impress in his absence.
Stanislav Lobotka is likely to be the anchor man in midfield, flanked by Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Elif Elmas. The trio have the dynamism and energy to seize control in the midfield and dictate the pace of the game.
Star striker Victor Osimhen continues to draw interest from the Premier League and should retain his spot up front. He will be aided by the equally sensational Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Matteo Politano, who will provide width on the flanks.
With Piotr Zielinski and Hirving Lozano on the bench, Spalletti has game-changers he can bring on if needed. With home support to boot, the Serie A leaders are heavy favourites going into the tie.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Kim, Rrahmani, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka, Elmas; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia
SS Lazio
Maurizio Sarri arrives at his old club with Lazio in a strong position to ensure a top-four finish. The visitors have an excellent defensive record in away games. But as Juventus found out earlier this season, that is no protection against a rampant Napoli side.
Lazio are in a good position to also make a move to usurp the second spot from Inter Milan given the latter’s inconsistency. A win over Napoli is unlikely to dent the home side’s title ambitions but will be a shot in the arm for Sarri and co to finish the season strong.
The visitors will be boosted by the return of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Mattia Zaccagni. And it should give them a fighting chance of causing an upset on Friday night. Meanwhile, Pedro has now injured his hand in addition to his nose but remains in contention to feature on the night.
#TrainingSession 📝
Seduta tattica a -2 da #NapoliLazio➡️ https://t.co/RMSuZsnjFP pic.twitter.com/2Xsv2NKFEw
— S.S.Lazio (@OfficialSSLazio) March 1, 2023
Nicolo Casale is suspended for the tie, and it remains to be seen if Alessio Romagnoli makes the cut in time. Sarri is unlikely to deviate from the 4-4-3 formation and will hope to go toe to toe with their in-form opponents.
Ivan Provedel should start in goal behind the back four of Adam Marusic, Alessio Romagnoli, Patric and Elseid Hysaj. The trio of Sergej Milinkovic Savic, Danilo Cataldi and Luis Alberto are a formidable midfield partnership and are likely to go up against Napoli on equal terms.
Felipe Anderson and Mattia Zaccagni should start wide, protecting the flanks and providing the width. Ciro Immobile should lead the line and will prove to be a handful for the Napoli defence to contain.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Provedel; Marusic, Romagnoli, Patric, Hysaj; Milinkovic-Savic, Cataldi, Alberto; Anderson, Immobile, Zaccagni
Key Stats
- Napoli have lost just once in the league this season, fewer than any other team across Europe’s top five leagues. Napoli have not just the best attack in Serie A this season but also the league’s meanest defence.
- Napoli have picked up 57 points out of a possible 60 in their last 20 games in Serie A, the best run of any side in that time across Europe’s top leagues.
- Napoli have not lost to Lazio at home in Serie A since 2015. Napoli and Lazio have drawn just one of their last 19 Serie A meetings.
- Lazio have lost their last five away trips to Napoli. This is just the second time this century that they have lost five or more straightaway games to the same opponent.
- A win with a clean sheet will see Napoli go on a five-game winning streak coupled with clean sheets to boost. This will be the first time in their history that the milestone is achieved.
Player to Watch
Victor Osimhen
The Nigerian international is hot property ahead of the 2023 summer transfer window and is by far the most prolific goal scorer in Serie A this season. Osimhen has scored 21 goals and four assists in 25 games across all competitions, averaging a goal contribution per game.
He has also formed an excellent partnership with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who is also an overwhelming force up front. While the Georgian is the playmaker in chief, it is Osimhen, who more often than not puts the finishing touches in the penalty box.
Osimhen has now found the back of the net in eight straight Serie A games, the first player to do so since Cristiano Ronaldo with Juventus. Shackling him will more or less make life a little easier for Lazio. Given his recent form, one can argue that it will take some doing.
Prediction
SSC Napoli 2-0 SS Lazio
It is difficult to bet against Napoli given their form and momentum at this point. They are an unstoppable force at home, and despite Lazio’s credentials, they might struggle to stifle Luciano Spalletti’s men.
The game is likely to be hard fought, and the visitors will not succumb to pressure easily. However, Napoli’s attackers give them the edge, and it should see them nick the game by two goals. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for Spalletti’s rhj
