After a turbulent week for both clubs, Juventus and Napoli meet in Turin on Sunday, with the massive gap between them in the Serie A rankings suddenly narrowing.
Team Form
Juventus
After being hit with a 15-point deduction earlier this year for financial irregularities, Juventus has had their penalty reversed by Italy’s highest sporting court.
This ruling has seen the Bianconeri rise from seventh to third place in Serie A, and they could still have a good season despite their previous struggles.
However, Juventus could still face punishment in the future as a further hearing by the Italian Football Federation is yet to be held. Despite this, the team is currently running for silverware in both the Europa League and the Coppa Italia and securing a spot in next year’s Champions League.
The news of their reprieve came just hours before their Europa League quarter-final decider against Sporting, which ended in a 1-1 draw, securing Juventus’ aggregate victory and a spot in the semi-finals against Sevilla.
Nevertheless, manager Massimiliano Allegri will still be disappointed by his team’s recent performances in Serie A, losing their last two domestic fixtures. They will now be looking to avoid posting a third consecutive league loss for the first time since 2011.
Juventus Serie A Form: W W W L L
Napoli
Napoli’s recent draw with Hellas Verona was a frustrating result for the team, who have now failed to win three of their last six league games. While their form hasn’t fallen off completely, it’s a noticeable dip from their earlier success this season under manager Luciano Spalletti.
Despite this, striker Victor Osimhen continues to impress. He scored a stoppage-time goal against Milan on Tuesday, although it wasn’t enough to keep Napoli in the Champions League.
The team missed a first-ever semi-final, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s penalty miss adding to their disappointment.
Napoli’s focus now turns back to the Serie A title race. Although their long-awaited Scudetto has been delayed slightly, they still hold a comfortable 14-point lead over second-placed Lazio.
With no more distractions from cup competition, they will be looking to secure their first title in 33 years.
Napoli Serie A Form: L W L D D
Squad Report
Juventus
Brazilian defender Bremer suffered an injury during Thursday night’s match against Sporting, forcing him to be withdrawn from the game during the second half. The severity of the damage is not yet apparent, and it remains to be seen how long he will be out of action.
Meanwhile, Moise Kean will also be unavailable for selection due to a flexor issue. It’s still being determined how long he will be out.
Napoli
Napoli’s recent Champions League exit has come at a cost, with Mario Rui and Matteo Politano picking up injuries during their match against Milan. As a result, both players will be unavailable for selection until they recover. In addition, Giovanni Simeone will remain sidelined due to a thigh problem.
However, there is some good news for Napoli fans, as Amir Rahmani hopes to overcome his ankle sprain and return to action soon.
Juventus’ expected starting lineup:
Szczesny; Danilo, Gatti, Sandro; De Sciglio, Fagioli, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Milik, Vlahovic
Napoli’s expected starting lineup:
Meret; Di Lorenzo, Kim, Jesus, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Lozano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia
Head to Head
Juventus and Napoli have a long-standing rivalry in Italian football, with the two teams facing each other numerous times.
Juventus have an impressive historical record against Napoli, having won 86 out of the 186 matches between the two teams. In contrast, Napoli has emerged victorious on 42 occasions.
Time, Date & Venue
Date: Sunday, April 23
Time: 07:45 pm, UTC
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Turin
Prediction
Juventus and Napoli have been among the most defensively solid teams in Europe’s top five leagues this season, with only Barcelona and Lazio having recorded more clean sheets.
While the two sides were involved in a six-goal thriller earlier this year, their upcoming encounter in Turin is expected to be a much tighter affair.
