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

Still with faint hopes of winning a second consecutive Serie A title, reigning champions Napoli entertain Fiorentina at Stadio Diego Maradona. Fighting on the opposite side of the table, La Viola are equally desperate for points as they head into proceedings stranded in the bottom three.

Napoli’s season is on the verge of unraveling, though a disappointing UEFA Champions League elimination could prove a blessing in disguise for Antonio Conte’s side. Chelsea beat the Partenopei 3-2 here on Wednesday, condemning them to a humiliating 30th-place finish in a 36-team table.

Now that there’s no more distraction from European football, Napoli can focus on securing a top-four spot in Serie A at the very least. Even that’s in jeopardy following a dismal run of just one win from their last five league matches (D3, L1). Indeed, they’re now only a point clear of fifth-placed Juventus.

There’s no doubt that Fiorentina would trade places with Napoli, as they seemingly face a season-long fight against the drop. Despite starting the season as perennial European contenders, it’s been one step forward, two steps back for the Tuscan outfit ever since they bounced back from a 15-game winless start to the campaign (D6, L9).

Fiorentina have emerged victorious from three of their last six Serie A outings (D2, L1). However, they squandered a golden opportunity to claw their way out of the relegation zone a week ago, losing 2-1 at home to Cagliari.

Match Preview

Napoli

It’s been a rough week for Napoli. Before Chelsea’s triumph at the Maradona Stadium, Conte’s side slipped to an embarrassing 3-0 loss to bitter Serie A rivals Juventus. As a result, they’re staring down the barrel of consecutive league defeats for the first time under the famous Italian manager.

Avoiding that unwanted feat is imperative, considering they’re already lagging a whopping nine points behind table-topping Inter. Napoli can take heart from the fact that they last lost back-to-back league games in December 2023, not to mention their formidable home record.

The Maradona Stadium has been a fortress, with Napoli yet to lose a Serie A fixture at home this season (W7, D3). However, it’s worth noting that they’ve shared the spoils in three of their last six such contests. That doesn’t bode well for the hosts’ hopes of pulling off a fourth consecutive league victory over Fiorentina for the first time since October 1990.

Fiorentina

La Viola found themselves on the receiving end of a 3-1 scoreline in September’s reverse fixture and would like to return the favor. Naples has not been ruthless to Fiorentina in recent years, with Vanoli’s side alternating between winning and losing across their last seven visits here (W3, L4).

Still, the visitors’ spirits took another hit in midweek Coppa Italia action as Como halted their run in the quarter-finals, courtesy of a 3-1 win at Stadio Artemio Franchi. Leaving the home comfort of their iconic stadium is another reason for concern, even though they beat Bologna 2-1 on their last road trip.

Fiorentina last won successive away league games in November 2024, while they’ve faltered on their Serie A travels this term. Before eking out a massive win at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, Vanoli’s team had picked up just five points in their first ten Serie A matches on hostile turf (D5, L5), averaging 0.7 goals per game.

Team News

Marred by an endless injury crisis, Napoli will be missing numerous first-team stars, including Kevin De Bruyne, Billy Gilmour, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, Amir Rrahmani, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Matteo Politano, and David Neres. Conte has welcomed Alex Meret and Romelu Lukaku back from injuries, with the former expected to start between the sticks.

As for misfiring Fiorentina, Tariq Lamptey remains the only notable absentee. Finding the net has been an issue for the visitors, but the arrivals of Jack Harrison, Giovanni Fabbian, and Manor Solomon are supposed to bolster their firepower in the second half of the season.

Napoli vs Fiorentina Potential Starting Lineups

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

Fiorentina (4-1-4-1): De Gea; Dodo, Comuzzo, Pongracic, Gosens; Fagioli; Solomon, Mandragora, Brescianini, Gudmundsson; Piccoli.

Napoli vs Fiorentina Prediction

Napoil might be up the creek without a paddle and bereft of confidence, but they can always rely on their famous home support to help them navigate these troubled waters. While this could feel like a winnable contest for the visitors, it’s impossible to overlook Fiorentina’s notorious travel sickness.

Vanoli’s men are likely to give Napoli a run for their money, but they should eventually go down.