Roma vs Napoli: Match Preview, Team News, Lineups and Prediction
AS Roma host Scudetto champions Napoli at the Stadio Olimpico this weekend in Serie A on matchday 17.
Ahead of the Derby del Sole, both teams are out of the top 4 spots, with Napoli in fifth place and Roma in eighth place.
Match Preview
After racking up three wins in four league matches, Roma have picked up just one point from their last two fixtures. They are coming in this game after a 1-1 draw with Fiorentina and a 2-0 defeat to Bologna last week.
A fourth away defeat for the Giallorossi saw them drop to 8th position in Serie A. Their good form at home have kept them in the race for a top 4 finish.
League leaders Inter are the only side who have won more home games than Roma this year. Moreover, only Atalanta have scored more goals on home ground than Mourinho’s side.
After finishing second in the Europa League group, they have drawn Feyenoord in a UEFA competition for a third successive season.
Napoli are coming in this game after a 4-0 thrashing against Frosinone in the Coppa Italia. However, they won their last two games, 2-0 against Braga in the Champions League and 2-1 against Cagliari at the weekend.
Walter Mazzarri’s side sit 14 points off leaders Inter, and it would be a miracle if they do catch them at the end of the season to retain the Scudetto.
Moreover, after finishing second in their Champions League group, they have drawn FC Barcelona in the round of 16, which will be a big test for them.
Walter Mazzarri will become the 10th manager to reach the major milestone of 500 games when he walks out in Rome this weekend.
Napoli will arrive in the Eternal City unbeaten in each of their last seven league matches against Roma and will hope for another positive result.
Roma team news
Houssem Aouar and Paulo Dybala will miss the clash, but Bryan Cristante and Gianluca Mancini are expected to return to the squad.
Both Englishmen Chris Smalling and Tammy Abraham are also out of this clash. Long term absentee Marash Kumbulla, has returned from his ACL injury and could be named on the bench.
Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku is also back from his suspension. He has scored four goals in his last six meetings against Napoli.
Napoli teams news
Walter Mazzarri will start his strongest XI against Roma, and captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo and goalkeeper Alex Meret will return to the XI.
Frank Anguissa and Piotr Zielinski will also return to the XI after missing the Coppa Italia clash against Frosinone.
Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will be joined by Matteo Politano in Napoli’s attacking trio.
Roma vs Napoli: Predicted line-ups
Roma (3-5-2):Patricio; Mancini, Llorente, Ndicka; Kristensen, Cristante, Paredes, Bove, Zalewski; El Shaarawy, Lukaku
Napoli (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Natan, Rrahmani, Rui; Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia
Prediction
Roma 1-1 Napoli
Roma does have enough sources to hurt Napoli in this game, but it will be a tight affair. The Serie A champions will not back down easily and will look to get atleast a point in Rome.
