Two of Italian football’s heavyweights go head-to-head on Saturday evening as Juventus welcome Napoli to the Allianz Stadium in a crucial early-season Serie A encounter. Both sides harbor title ambitions this campaign and will be eager to lay down a marker with victory in this high-profile clash.
The Bianconeri have made a solid if unspectacular start to the new season under new manager Thiago Motta. They remain unbeaten after four league games, though back-to-back 0-0 draws against Roma and Empoli have seen them slip to fourth in the table.
However, Juventus received a major confidence boost in midweek with an impressive 3-1 victory over PSV Eindhoven on their return to Champions League action. Goals from Kenan Yildiz, Weston McKennie and Nico Gonzalez secured a statement win to kickstart their European campaign.
That result showcased the attacking talent at Motta’s disposal, with young stars like Yildiz and new signings such as Timothy Weah catching the eye. The Old Lady will now be aiming to translate that form back to Serie A as they look to mount a serious title challenge this term.
Defensively, Juventus have been imperious so far, keeping clean sheets in all four of their league matches. It’s only the fifth time in their history they’ve started a Serie A season with four consecutive shutouts. Maintaining that solidity against Napoli’s potent attack will be crucial to their chances of victory.
After a disappointing 10th place finish last season, Napoli turned to serial winner Antonio Conte in the summer to spearhead their revival. It’s been a positive start for the former Juventus and Inter boss, with the Partenopei sitting second in the table after four games.
An opening day 3-0 defeat to Hellas Verona was a shock to the system, but Napoli have responded emphatically with three straight wins. They’ve scored nine goals in that run, including a 4-0 thrashing of Cagliari last time out.
New signing Romelu Lukaku has hit the ground running with two goals in his first two appearances. The Belgian striker forms a fearsome attacking trident alongside Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen that will strike fear into any defense.
Unlike Juventus, Napoli don’t have European commitments this season after last year’s struggles. That could prove an advantage as the campaign progresses, allowing Conte to keep his squad fresh and focused solely on domestic matters.
The clash between each side’s star strikers could go a long way to deciding this match. Dusan Vlahovic has made a solid start to the season for Juventus with two goals, but has a poor record against Napoli with just one goal in 516 minutes of action against them.
In contrast, Romelu Lukaku has made an instant impact since joining Napoli, scoring in both of his first two appearances. However, the Belgian has never managed to score in each of his first three matches for a club in Serie A or the Premier League.
Team News
Juventus boss Motta may rotate his side after their midweek exertions, with Khephren Thuram, Nicolo Fagioli and Douglas Luiz all pushing for starts. Federico Gatti is an injury doubt after coming off against PSV, so Danilo could slot into the back four. Arkadiusz Milik and Francisco Conceicao remain sidelined.
Napoli have no fresh injury concerns and Conte has had a full week to prepare his side. The main selection dilemma appears to be whether David Neres or Matteo Politano starts alongside Kvaratskhelia and Lukaku in attack. New signings Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay will hope for more minutes after debuting off the bench last week.
Expected Starting XIs
Juventus (4-3-3): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Danilo, Bremer, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Luiz, Fagioli; Gonzalez, Vlahovic, Yildiz
Napoli (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Spinazzola; Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Politano, Lukaku, Kvaratskhelia
Match Prediction
This has all the makings of a tense, closely-fought encounter between two evenly matched sides. Juventus will have home advantage and their imperious defensive record gives them a solid foundation. However, Napoli’s in-form attack could cause problems on the counter.
Ultimately, the Bianconeri’s midweek exertions may take their toll and Napoli’s extra freshness could prove decisive in the latter stages. A draw seems the most likely outcome.
Prediction: Juventus 1-1 Napoli
