The Diego Armando Maradona Stadium will play host to the biggest Serie A clash of the weekend as title-chasing Napoli will be desperate for a win over AC Milan.
Napoli missed out on another big opportunity to pile the pressure on leaders Inter Milan before the international break as they could only muster a draw to Venezia; their next challenge comes against AC Milan. Antonio Conte’s men had the chance to take the lead in the standings albeit temporarily, but missed out on the opportunity, which has allowed the Nerazzurri to open a three-point advantage.
While Napoli endured a frustrating time against Venezia, Inter Milan managed a comfortable win over fellow contenders Atalanta to open a three-point advantage. Heading into the weekend, the league leaders could open up a temporary six-point advantage even before Conte’s men face off against AC Milan at the Stadio Maradona.
Hence, the Naples side are under tremendous pressure to stay relevant in the title race as only a win over Milan would suffice. Another set of dropped points could prove costly for Conte’s side, especially given Inter Milan are expected to win against Udinese at San Siro on Sunday.
Meanwhile, AC Milan are fighting hard to stay relevant in a race for a top-four race, as some recent results have let them slip down in the standings. Sergio Conceicao came under tremendous pressure after losing three league games in a row in the aftermath of their UEFA Champions League elimination at the hands of Feyenoord.
The Rossoneri have responded fittingly with consecutive Serie A wins over Lecce and then against Como before the international break. Milan are currently in ninth, with six points separating them from fourth-placed Bologna, which keeps them in relevant distance in the chase for a Champions League spot.
Team News & Tactics
Napoli
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa remains the only known absentee from this Napoli side with an injury issue, meaning Antonio Conte has a full squad to choose from for this clash with AC Milan. The manager might continue to use a back three, which could be the shape for the remainder of the season.
While the players are still getting the grips of this system, Conte will probably use this for future seasons too, as it is his traditional preference. Amir Rrahmani, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, and Alessandro Buongiorno will be stationed in that backline, with Matteo Politano and Leonardo Spinazzola in the wing-back roles.
Stanislav Lobotka will sit at the base of Napoli’s midfield, with Scottish pair Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay on either side of him. Romelu Lukaku will lead the line for Napoli against AC Milan alongside Giacomo Raspadori in the front two.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno; Politano, Gilmour, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Lukaku, Raspadori
AC Milan
AC Milan’s injury problems have eased over the last few weeks, with only Emerson Royal missing from action. The Rossoneri are also missing Yunus Musah with a suspension, and Sergio Conceicao will have his other players available for selection.
The Portuguese manager is unlikely to make wholesale alterations to his lineup, although he might have to make some selections based on the players and their form in training.
Alessandro Florenzi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are all available for selection, while there is also a decision to be made about Milan’s starting striker between Tammy Abraham and Santiago Gimenez. Matteo Gabbia and Malick Thiaw are expected to start at the heart of the defence, with Kyle Walker and Theo Hernandez in the full-back roles.
Tijjani Reijnders will continue in the attacking midfield role, while Warren Bondo and Youssouf Fofana in central midfield. Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic will play a part in the attacking setup, as Abraham could be rewarded with a start following his impressive display against Como before the international break.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Walker, Gabbia, Thiaw, Hernandez; Bondo, Fofana; Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao; Abraham
Key Stats
- Napoli are undefeated in 13 of their last 14 matches in Serie A.
- Since the start of February, Napoli have won only one of seven Serie A matches.
- AC Milan have won their last two Serie A games.
- In the past 20 years, only one team with 47 points at this stage of the season had finished in the top four in Serie A.
Player to Watch
Romelu Lukaku
Napoli need killers in their squad, and there is no looking beyond Lukaku in that aspect. There have been some problems with the squad and their performances over the last month or so, but fortunately, Antonio Conte’s side are as close as they can be to leaders Inter Milan.
Between now and the end of the season, it will take some key moments to decide games, as Lukaku must play a pivotal role in that aspect. The Belgian striker has not been firing on all cylinders recently, and Antonio Conte would hope it starts against AC Milan in this key game in the title race.
Prediction
Napoli 2-1 AC Milan
AC Milan have shown in recent times that they cannot be trusted to put in a performance that their form deserves. Before winning the last two games, the Rossoneri lost their three before that, which tends to show their extreme inconsistencies in the league. That may eventually cost them a place in the top four.
Napoli, on the other hand, have been inconsistent too, although they have managed to keep their composure together, especially in some of the big games. This being a massive clash in the context of the title race, Napoli are expected to take three points given they also have a home advantage. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Antonio Conte and his charges.
