Napoli are still going strong and with just 12 games to go, they are slowly becoming the favourites to lift the Serie A trophy. The Azzurri will be looking to make it 11 league wins on the bounce when they face AS Roma, the team that suffered defeats to Shakhtar Donetsk and AC Milan in their last two competitive fixtures.
Napoli
Napoli have been enjoying a dream Serie A campaign this term, climbing to the league summit early on and never looking back. Having won last ten league matches, the Azzurri have earned a unique opportunity to fight for the first Serie A trophy since 1990, and they currently sit four points ahead of champions Juventus, who have a game in hand. Maurizio Sarri’s charges have been relentless in recent months, but with the Bianconeri breathing down their necks, they obviously need to continue the rich vein of form for as long as possible.
After the 4-1 hammering of top 4 hopefuls Lazio was followed by a hard-fought win over relegation-threatened SPAL, Napoli again turned on the style to record a 5-0 triumph over Cagliari, with Callejon, Mertens, Hamsik, Insigne and Rui getting on the scoresheet. The Azzurri will have bigger fish to fry at the weekend, but this is a good moment to be facing out-of-form AS Roma, who also have the Champions League campaign to worry about.
Team News
Polish forward Arkadiusz Milik could be back in contention, but Faouzi Ghoulam and Vlad Chiriches miss out through injury.
AS Roma
In spite of the strong start to the current season, AS Roma were unable to keep up with the likes of Napoli and Juventus and mount a serious title challenge, but they will be vying Lazio and Inter for the two remaining Champions League berths. The Giallorossi went through a very difficult patch at the turn of the year, recording three draws and four defeats in all competitions, but they eventually managed to return to the right track.
Successive league wins over Hellas Verona, Benevento and Udinese saw AS Roma revive their top 4 hopes, however the team have now again experienced a dip in form. The Giallorossi suffered a 2-1 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 stage clash, before also losing to AC Milan in Serie A. AS Roma now need to try and win back some of the lost confidence with a good result at Stadio Olimpico, but stopping red-hot Napoli in their tracks in easier said than done.
Team News
Talented midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini looks set to miss out, while full-back Rick Karsdorp remains a long-term casualty.
Key Factors to Consider
Napoli won last 10 Serie A matches
AS Roma lost last two competitive fixtures
The Giallorossi unbeaten on last four Serie A travels (W2 D2)
Napoli won last two league meetings with AS Roma
Both teams scored in just two of their last nine meetings
Conclusion
Napoli have been simply unstoppable of late and with the players brimming with confidence at the moment, we fully expect them to extend the excellent run against struggling AS Roma. The Giallorossi are under pressure after losing their last two games and a third straight defeat could be on the cards.
Verdict: Home win
