Serie A: Sense of Urgency for Napoli

Atalanta vs Napoli

A panicked Napoli will visit Gewiss Stadium to face off against Napoli in a Serie A clash that will inevitably cause a shift in the Italian top-flight table. After 12 games, Napoli and Atalanta find themselves as worthy adversaries, being split by just one point, as Napoli have 21 points while Atalanta have 20.

Atalanta are on pace to have another strong year in Serie A. They are currently fifth at the league table, which is where they were by the end of last season. They have a good chance of improving on their 2022–23 season, with Giorgio Scalvini being the bulwark of their defence while Scamacca and Ederson lead the offencive charge on the other end of the field. Atalanta have been a formidable club and are a tough matchup for any team in Serie A.

Talking Points

Walter Mazzarri now at the helm for Napoli

The defending Serie A champions started their title defence with a boastful tone as they tallied back-to-back wins over Frosinone and Sassuolo; however, all good things must come to an end. After a strong start in their first two matches of the season, they’ve managed to win just four matches in their next 10.

It seems like Napoli pushed the panic button after their 0-1 loss against Empoli, as the defending Serie A champions have parted ways with Rudi Garcia and brought back Walter Mazzarri as their new coach until the end of the season.

“Societá Sportiva Calcio Napoli has decided to remove Mr. Rudi Garcia from the role of head coach. We thank him and his staff for the collaboration shown until now,”

Mazzarri already has a lot of pressure put on him as he tries to turn title-holders Napoli’s mediocre campaign around in hopes of going back to their winning ways last season.

Osimhen doubtful against Atalanta

Nigerian striker and Napoli’s leading scorer, Victor Osimhen, is doubtful for Mazzarri when they face Atalanta. Osimhen returned to Italy this month after spending some time in Nigeria to attend to personal matters. He hasn’t suited up for Napoli ever since he suffered a hamstring injury back in October 13.

The 24-year-old goal-getter has already missed five games for Napoli, and his last game was against Fiorentina, where he led the way for the Blues by scoring a goal en route to a 3-1 victory. It is evident that the forward is a key piece to Napoli’s success; that’s why they aim to have him back as early as their Serie A match against Atalanta.

“The striker wants to be fit for Napoli’s clash with Atalanta on November 25, allowing him to use the international break to reach full fitness,” Football Italia wrote. With this, Napoli fans might have to wait a little more before Osimhen produces some more Serie A highlights.

But with his current condition, a return for their Champions League match against Real Madrid is more likely. “The hope is to be ready for the Champions League game with Real Madrid at the end of the month.”

History

These clubs are no strangers to one another, as they have been rivals in Italy for more than a few decades now. Atalanta and Napoli might be the most evenly matched teams in Serie A in terms of their past head-to-heads.

History shows that they’ve faced each other 36 times before coming into their next match. They’ve almost evenly split the wins in their past encounters, with Atalanta winning 13 and Napoli having 15 while tallying a draw eight times.

Given their stature in Italian football, they’ve been constantly giving their fans a plethora of goals every time they share the pitch. In their 36 total head-to-heads, they’ve scored a total of 100 goals. Interestingly enough, they also share equal blame for the number of goals they’ve produced, as Atalanta have scored 49 times and Napoli have found the back of the net 51 times.

Betting Tip

The SBOTOP Serie A 2023 betting odds priced this match really close. They suggest that this will be a very competitive bout, with both teams having almost the same chance of coming out as the victors.

The main lines show that Napoli is the slight favourites to win at 2.45, which I personally think holds so much value, given that even though they are not quite the titans they were last season, Napoli is still considered to be one of the best clubs in Serie A. Also, Mazzarri’s squad is faring well against Europe’s best in the EUFA Champions League, being the second seed in Group C, below just the undefeated Real Madrid.

This writer wouldn’t blame you if you put your bets on Atalanta. They’re right there with Napoli in terms of form in Serie A this season, and a key thing punters should consider is the availability of Napoli’s top scorer, Victor Osimhen.

 

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