Sunday’s Serie A action caps off with a mouth-watering showdown between the two most recent champions, Napoli and Milan, at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Let’s look at our match preview for this contest.
Napoli boss Rudi Garcia was walking a tightrope before October’s international break. Fiorentina ran riot in Naples, thumping Frenchman’s charges 3-1 and prompting intense speculation about Aurelio De Laurentiis contemplating sacking the ex-Roma manager after only eight Serie A matchdays.
However, Garcia has brought Napoli back on the rails after the two-week pause. Often criticized for his lackluster form in the early 2023/24 campaign, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia reminded Serie A of his undeniable quality last weekend as his goals on either side of halftime inspired Partenopei to a landslide 3-1 victory at out-of-sorts Hellas Verona.
Another vintage Kvara performance was on display at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on Tuesday as Napoli squeaked past Union Berlin 1-0 to consolidate their bid to reach the Champions League knockouts. Despite failing to score, the Georgian winger delivered a crucial assist to Giacomo Raspadori to set his side up perfectly for this mammoth clash.
Unlike their hosts, Milan experienced another nightmarish Champions League evening. Paris Saint-Germain put on a sterling performance to dismantle Stefan Pioli’s troops 3-0 on Wednesday, pinning them to the bottom of the so-called ‘Group of Death’ as the only side at Europe’s top table yet to find the back of the net this season.
PSG’s emphatic turf on their home territory added insult to injury following Milan’s heartbreaking 1-0 home loss to Juventus last weekend. Malick Thiaw’s first-half red card sealed Rossoneri’s fate at the San Siro, with Manuel Locatelli knocking his former side down from a four-game winning streak in Serie A with a fortunate strike from distance.
Match Preview
Napoli
Despite their mini-revival upon the Serie A resumption in mid-October, Napoli could still meet an unwanted feat on Sunday. Garcia’s men have lost their last two competitive home outings to Fiorentina and Real Madrid, conceding precisely three goals on each occasion. Another defeat here would see them lose three consecutive matches at the Maradona Stadium for the first time since November 2020.
With that in mind, Kvaratskhelia’s return to form couldn’t have come at a more opportune moment for Napoli, especially considering elite striker Victor Osimhen is still in the treatment room with a thigh injury. Garcia will need his marquee winger at his best to help Partenopei avenge a miserable 4-0 defeat in this matchup back in April.
Player to Watch: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
It’s Kvara time again! The highly-rated forward has racked up six goal contributions in his last four appearances for club and country, securing his place under the spotlight.
Milan
Even though Napoli already had a long-awaited Scudetto in the bag before Milan humbled them in this corresponding fixture last season, it took nothing away from the remarkable showing at the Maradona Stadium. Naples has been a happy hunting ground for Rossoneri as that victory bookended their impressive three-game winning away league run against Partenopei.
However, a repeat of that success looks like a pipe dream, given the circumstances. The situation is getting out of the hands of Pioli, but there’s no reason to panic yet. Milan begin this round only one point below pacesetters Inter, largely thanks to winning all four Serie A outings outside their hometown this term.
Player to Watch: Rafael Leao
Leao was a rare bright spot in Milan’s losses to Juventus and PSG, showcasing his well-documented pace and some fancy footwork. Considering he tallied two goals and an assist in two appearances in Naples last season, he ticks all the boxes for our ‘Player to Watch’ section.
Team News
Osimhen is not the only high-profile absentee in the Napoli camp. Midfield stalwart Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa is also unavailable for this clash due to a thigh problem. But Garcia has welcomed his first-choice center-back pairing Amir Rrahmani and Juan Jesus back to the fold.
Milan’s injury situation is far more critical. Ismael Bennacer, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Samuel Chukwueze, Noah Okafor, and Marco Sportiello remain in the infirmary. Thiaw is out of contention after picking up a straight red against Juventus, but Mike Maignan returns from suspension.
Napoli vs Milan Potential Lineups
Napoli (4-3-3): Alex Meret; Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani, Natan, Mario Rui; Stanislav Lobotka, Jens Cajuste, Piotr Zielinski; Matteo Politano, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Giacomo Raspadori.
Milan (4-2-3-1): Mike Maignan; Davide Calabria, Fikayo Tomori, Simon Kjaer, Theo Hernandez; Yacine Adli, Yunus Musah; Christian Pulisic, Tijjani Reijnders, Rafael Leao; Olivier Giroud.
Napoli vs Milan Prediction
Milan manager Pioli can ill-afford another fiasco and could opt for a conservative approach after PSG obliterated his side. Luckily for him, Napoli haven’t been their best version this season. This game can go either way, but we anticipate a share of the spoils.
Prediction: Draw
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