Serie A: Top Four for the Attraction for Last Season’s Top Two

Lazio vs Napoli

Any Serie A title hopes that Lazio and Napoli may have harboured have long gone, but there’s still to plenty to play for in the capital on Sunday teatime.

With both clubs in the hunt for a top four finish and the lucrative carrot of a Champions League berth, Serie A 2024 highlights should be the order of the day.

Talking Points

Both sides need maximum points in truth.

Napoli are hoping to bounce back after arguably their best chance of silverware this term was ended as they went down to a last-gasp Inter Milan goal in the final of the Supercoppa last weekend.

Meanwhile, Lazio, who were also not in league action due to that competition, are in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia this spring but face competition favourites Juventus.

What a boost, then, a top four ticket could provide.

This fixture provides another reunion for Maurizio Sarri with the club he took to runners-up positions in 2016 and 2018.

They have lacked a certain something since Sergej Milinkovic-Savic headed to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League last summer and, while they quietly went about their business and deservedly finished runners-up with a superb set of results last term, have never looked like repeating that feat.

Napoli have barely looked like repeating their heroics of last season either when they were crowned champions for only the third time in the club’s history and the first time without the late, great Diego Maradona.

This week, they signed Belgium midfielder Leander Dendoncker on loan from Aston Villa for the remainder of the campaign, but it’s speculation elsewhere which has grabbed the attention.

There are reports that Jose Mourinho is set to meet Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis this week.

Less than a fortnight after parting company with Roma, the Portuguese boss would be greeted warmly in Naples should he be called upon.

While Walter Mazzarri has steadied the ship a little as a short-term custodian, the club has yet to settle on a long-term replacement for Luciano Spalletti who departed at the end of last season.

Mourinho’s potential arrival would also take off a hefty amount of pressure on president Aurelio De Laurentiis, who has again become a figure of frustration and ridicule amongst supporters following his decisions over the last six months.

Back to this weekend, and both Mattia Zaccagni and captain Ciro Immobile are suspended for the hosts, while Spanish centre-back Patric will be absent again with a shoulder injury.

The Napoli absentees stretch further.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Giovanni Simeone, and Jens Cajuste are all suspended, while Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and last season’s Capocannoniere Victor Osimhen are on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.

In addition, goalkeeper Alex Meret and South American defencive duo Mathias Olivera and Natan are both injured.

That could just be enough to give Lazio the edge.

History

Overall, Napoli have enjoyed success in this fixture on 20 occasions compared to 11 Lazio wins and eight draws.

Lazio won in Naples in September in an early blow to the defending champions’ title bid.

It proved to be their first defeat of what has been a miserable campaign to date.

Luis Alberto and Daichi Kamade scored the goals in a 2-1 victory with Piotr Zielinski replying for the champs.

They also won in Naples last March when Matias Vecino scored the only goal of the game – not that it affected the title race.

The corresponding fixture last season proved an early indicator that Napoli meant business as they won 2-1 in Rome, courtesy of Kvaratskhelia and Min-Jae Kim goals, after Zaccagni had given Lazio an early lead.

Betting Tip

Lazio have the edge with the SBOTOP Serie A 2024 betting odds but it’s fairly close.

Sarri faces his old charges with his current employers priced First Half 1X2 @ 2.94, First Half Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 2.42, 1X2 @ 2.35, and Asian Handicap -0.50 also @ 2.35.

Napoli, meanwhile, also offer attractive odds including First Half 1X2 @ 3.61, First Half Asian Handicap 0.00 @ 2.17 @ 2.42, 1X2 @ 2.95, and Asian Handicap 0.00 @ 2.33.

Goal options range from over 2.50 @ 2.35 to Total Goal 0-1 @ 2.67, 2-3 @ 1.89, and 4-6 @ 4.23.

A repeat of last season is available @ 11.50 with Correct Score 1-2.

The last goalless draw between them was in 2011 and another will pay out @ 7.60. With just two points separating the teams, I think there’ll be little to separate them.

 

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