AS Roma vs Napoli
Roma host Napoli in a box office clash at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday, when the visitors will try to hold on to their 100 per cent record and their early lead in Serie A.
Gli Azzurri have taken the Italian league by storm, winning all eight of their games so far, and they sit top of the league table, with only the unbeaten Milan in touch, two points behind in second place. I Rossoneri have a tricky fixture away to Bologna on Saturday, when Napoli fans will be glued to the Serie A 2021 updates. Roma are in fourth place after eight rounds, but only a point clear of Lazio, Atalanta and Juventus and that is not a trio you want to see in your rear view mirror!
Both teams were in Europa League action on Thursday, with rather different outcomes as Napoli had a comfortable 3-0 win over Legia Warsaw, while Roma’s game away to Bodo Glimt resulted in a 6-1 drubbing by the Norwegian minnows.
Talking Points
Roma’s squad light on quality
Jose Mourinho’s heaviest defeat as a manager, away to Bodo Glimt exposed just how much the former Chelsea boss relies on his regular starters, because the second string was simply blown away by the Norwegian side, who scored four second half goals in the 6-1 rout. Roma, captained by Stephan El Shaarawy were second best all night and even the introduction of some of the first team players was too little and too late.
To be fair to Mourinho he’s had to juggle his squad rather more than he would have liked with a lengthy injury list in recent weeks. Roma had some key players missing in the 1-0 defeat to Juventus last week with Lorenzo Pellegrini and Leonardo Spinazzola spending time on the treatment table recently, but Pellegrino came on for the last 30 minutes against Bodo and he is sure to start in this big match against the league leaders.
With four goals captain Pellegrini has led the team by example and linked up well with fellow midfielder Jordan Veretout who also has four goals. Former Manchester United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is likely to start too, as is Tammy Abraham, who has made a good start at Roma, making four assists and scoring two goals so far. Abraham will be keen to put on a good show after he was reported to have had a spat with some Roma fans after the midweek shambles in Norway, where he too came on as a substitute.
Roma need to refocus and remember they have a 100 per cent home record this season, winning all four league games, so they can face Napoli on a level.
Napoli’s strikers shooting for the stars
The Serie A 2021 betting odds have installed Luciano Spalletti’s team as favourites to win the Scudetto at odds of 3.20, but it’s a tight call with the two Milan clubs, Juventus and Atalanta all harbouring title ambitions.
There is nothing quite as valuable as points on the board though and, with a maximum return of 24, the visitors are in pole position. Last week’s meeting with Torino was Napoli’s eighth in a row and it came thanks to a late strike from top scorer Victor Osimhen. And the big Nigerian forward is one of a group of sharp shooters who can fire Napoli to the Scudetto. Osimhen was on target as Napoli beat Legia Warsaw in midweek, as was inspirational skipper Lorenzo Insigne and Matteo Politano, who bagged one deep into stoppage time.
Mexican striker Hirving Lozano will be pushing for a start too, he scored in the 2-1 win away to Fiorentina and he’s a real asset for Spalletti, able to play down either flank or through the middle. With competition for places and quality running through the team, if Napoli can avoid injuries they have a real chance of winning a first Scudetto since 1990.
History
Roma have won 20 of the 44 meetings with Napoli since 1993, losing 14 and drawing ten, but Gli Azzurri have won the last three, including a 0-2 victory at the Stadio Olimpico in March.
And in terms of recent form the visitors have the edge, having won five and lost one of the last six games, while Roma have won three and lost three over that period.
Betting Tip
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AS Roma vs Napoli | Napoli Asian Handicap 0.00 @ 1.82 |
| October 25, 00:00 (GMT+8) |
There’s very little to choose between Roma and Napoli for this game, with the visitors edging it at SBOTOP odds of 2.45 while the hosts are at a price of 2.67 and the draw is at 3.16.
Mourinho will expect a reaction from his players and they are strong on home soil, but I they will have to play well to end Napoli’s perfect start, and I suspect the visitors won’t
go home empty handed.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
 = €20 (Highly confident) |
= €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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