Serie A Preview: Juventus vs Napoli – Team News, Lineups & Prediction | OneFootball

Allianz Stadium forms the backdrop for a high-stakes Serie A showdown between record-time champions Juventus and title holders Napoli. This fixture has all the makings of a ‘make or break’ affair for both teams if they’re to close the gap on table-topping Inter.

Juventus will be out to bounce back from last weekend’s gut-wrenching 1-0 defeat at bottom-half Cagliari, which left them three points adrift of fourth-placed Roma. Luciano Spalletti’s side bolstered their spirits ahead of this clash with a 2-0 home triumph over Benfica in midweek UEFA Champions League action.

Seeking a statement win against a side he led to Scudetto in 2023, Spalletti faces none other than three-time Serie A winner with Juventus, Antonio Conte. Despite his illustrious past in Turin, the 56-year-old has never beaten the Bianconeri as a visiting manager in the top flight (D1, L2), including a scoreless draw in this corresponding fixture last term.

Conte cut a frustrated character on Tuesday as 10-man Copenhagen held Napoli to a dismal 1-1 draw at Parken Stadium, significantly derailing their chances of securing knockout qualification in the Champions League. However, they are still keen to retain their league crown, though after Inter’s 6-2 rout of Pisa, they trail Cristian Chivu’s team by a whopping nine points.

As such, anything other than a victory in this blockbuster clash would likely spell the end of Napoli’s title bid.

Match Preview

Juventus

Despite their inconsistent form, Juventus have been virtually unplayable at the Allianz Stadium, where they last lost a competitive game in March (W13, D6). Moreover, Spalletti’s men have fared outstandingly against top teams, winning two of their previous three home league matches against current top-four sides (D1).

However, Napoli have been a thorn in Juventus’ side lately, beating them six times in their previous nine meetings (D2, L1). On the bright side, Juventus have emerged victorious from ten of their last 14 Serie A encounters here (D2, L2), suggesting they’re well-positioned to return to the win column following a heartbreaking loss at the Unipol Domus.

Connoisseurs of action-packed football cannot expect much entertainment here, not least because only eight of Juventus’ 21 league games this season have produced over 2.5 goals. Much of the credit goes to Spalletti’s rock-solid defense that has only conceded eight goals in ten Serie A outings in Turin.

Napoli

After three consecutive league draws, Napoli returned to winning ways last weekend with a narrow 1-0 home win over mid-table Sassuolo. Stanilsav Lobotka inspired his side to a crucial win with his first goal of the season, putting them on the brink of winning back-to-back Serie A matches for the first time in almost two months.

Napoli must address their travel sickness to achieve that feat, as they’ve picked up just four wins from their last 13 away games across all competitions (D2, L7). Furthermore, they’ve already lost twice as many Serie A road fixtures this term (4) as they did in the whole of last season (2), highlighting the size of the task ahead.

A fast start would be helpful, and Napoli can draw confidence from scoring the division’s second-most six goals inside the opening 15 minutes this season. With that in mind, it’s hardly surprising that only runaway leaders Inter (11) have boasted a halftime lead in more Serie A matches than Napoli (10) in 2025/26.

Team News

Juventus will be without long-term absentees Arkadiusz Milik, Daniele Rugani, and Dusan Vlahovic. With the Serbian striker on the sidelines, out-of-form Jonathan David is likely to lead the line at the expense of Lois Openda. All eyes will be on Kenan Yildiz, who has netted seven goals and added four assists in 20 Serie A appearances this season.

As for Napol, Kevin De Bruyne, Billy Gilmour, Amir Rrahmani, Andre-Frank Anguissa, David Neres, and Alex Meret remain in the pits. However, star goal-getter Romelu Lukaku has returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines and is likely start on the bench, with Rasmus Hojlund expected to spearhead the attack.

Juventus vs Napoli Potential Starting Lineups

Juventus (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, McKennie, Yildiz; David.

Napoli (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Buongiorno, Jesus; Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Vergara, Elmas; Hojlund.

Juventus vs Napoli Prediction

Given the high-stakes nature of this clash, a low-scoring affair could be on the cards. Though both sides have thrived in such circumstances, a share of the spoils seems like the most realistic outcome.