Napoli is proving to be an incredibly dominant force at the top of Serie A, securing victories in their last five league matches, four of which were achieved without conceding a goal. Their most recent triumph came on the road at the San Siro, where Antonio Conte’s team claimed a 2-0 win over AC Milan. This impressive run brings them closer to replicating their eight-match winning streak from the end of their title-winning campaign in 2022/23.
Their mettle will be put to the test in the next two fixtures as they face fellow contenders Atalanta and Inter Milan. Napoli’s recent home record against Atalanta has been somewhat average, with three wins, one draw, and four losses. However, as the only team in Serie A with a flawless home record this season, having won all five matches, Napoli should feel confident about improving their head-to-head statistics.
Atalanta, on the other hand, will certainly have something to say about that. They arrive in Naples in excellent form, having secured victories in their last four league games. It is not just the number of wins that is impressive, but also the manner in which they have achieved them. Their total goal tally from these victories stands at an impressive 15-2.
A 3-0 victory in the previous campaign at this venue strongly suggests the possibility of replicating that success. However, with only one win from their last four away matches in the league (D1, L2), it would be wise for them to approach this fixture with caution. Additionally, the historical Serie A encounters between boss Gian Piero Gasperini and Conte do not bode well for Gasperini, as he has failed to secure a victory in any of their seven head-to-head matches (D2, L5), with all five losses resulting in a scoreline of ‘nil-nil’.
Key players to keep an eye on: Romelu Lukaku of Napoli found the net just five minutes into the previous game, but his four Serie A goals prior to that were all scored in the second half. Over the last four seasons, Lazar Samardžić holds the distinction of being the youngest player to score a minimum of 15 goals in Serie A, with the most recent four goals being scored on or after the 70th minute.
Interesting statistic: Napoli has a flawless record this season in Serie A when they take the lead (W8).
