Napoli vs Lazio Best Combined XI: Only Two Biancocelesti Stars Included | OneFootball

On Saturday, Napoli and Lazio will lock horns at the Stadio Maradona in a battle between two clubs with different aspirations.

The Partenopei enter the contest in second place with 66 points in the bag, eyeing a win that will keep their shrinking title hopes alive. On the other hand, Lazio began the weekend in 9th place with 44 points.

The 22-point gap between the two rivals might be surprising at first, but it is somewhat justified by the gulf in quality between the two clubs when comparing them department by department.

Napoli & Lazio Combined XI (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (Napoli)

While he hasn’t quite reached the stardom of his older brother and Lazio legend, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Vanja has been one of the most reliable custodians in Serie A in recent years, and he finally earned the opportunity to play at a top club.

The Serbian managed to cement himself as a regular starter at Alex Meret’s expense, and his superb performances over the years give him a slight edge over Ivan Provedel, albeit the latter was enjoying a solid campaign prior to his season-ending injury.

Right-Back: Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli)

Washed up he may be, the Napoli captain remains his club’s only natural option for the right-back spot, and he is comfortably above Lazio’s current options: Adam Marusic, Manuel Lazzari, and Elseid Hysaj.

Right Centre-Back: Mario Gila (Lazio)

Between his exquisite distribution at the back and his ferocious tackling, it is difficult to find a more complete central defender than Mario Gila in the Italian top flight. The Spaniard gets the nod over Amir Rrahmani and Sam Beukema, who is enduring a complicated first campaign in Naples.

Left Centre-Back: Alessio Romagnoli (Lazio)

While Napoli have outdone Lazio in almost every metric, the capital side has surprisingly conceded fewer goals than Antonio Conte’s men in the first 32 rounds of the Serie A campaign (30 to 31), and Alessio Romagnoli deserves a large chunk of the credit. The cool and composed Italian is thus favored over Juan Jesus and Alessandro Buongiorno.

Left-Back: Leonardo Spinazzola (Napoli)

With Luca Pellegrini and Nuno Tavares putting on inconsistent displays this season, the left-back spot has been a headache for Maurizio Sarri. On the other hand, Conte has more convincing options in Mathias Olivera, Miguel Guttierez, and Leonardo Spinazzola.

Despite being the oldest, the Italian international is the pick of the bunch thanks to the constant threat he poses when going forward, and the discipline he shows when tracking back.

Right Central Midfielder: Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Napoli)

Toma Basic has been enjoying quite a revival this term, while Kenneth Taylor has been Lazio’s undisputed best starter this season. Nevertheless, Zambo Anguissa is one of the finest box-to-box midfielders in Serie A, if not the best. The Cameroonian has been unlucky with injuries this season, but he played a key role in Napoli’s third and fourth Scudetto triumphs.

Deep-Lying Playmaker: Stanislav Lobotka (Napoli)

The Slovenian has been the cornerstone of the Partenopei’s starting lineup over the past few years. His vision and distribution have been vital for the team. Nicola Rovella has the potential to reach this level, but in the meantime, Lobotka remains the clear-cut pick.

Left Central Midfielder: Scott McTominay (Napoli)

Perhaps the most obvious choice on the list. The Scotsman was the Serie A MVP last season, and he has been Napoli’s most reliable star in what has been a challenging campaign blighted by injuries.

Right Winger: Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli)

The Belgian is one of the best players of his generation, so his inclusion remains a must, even if in a less familiar role. De Bruyne might not be an out-and-out winger, but he still has enough quality and flair to keep Matteo Politano, David Neres, Gustav Isaksen, and Matteo Cancellieri out of the lineup.

Striker: Rasmus Hojlund (Napoli)

The former Manchester United man has 10 goals in Serie A this season. On the other hand, Boualye Dia, Daniel Maldini, Tijjani Noslin, and Petar Ratkov have five combined.

Left Winger: Alisson Santos (Napoli)

Alisson has been a breath of fresh air since his January arrival. His impeccable dribbling skills and shot precision make him an absolute nightmare for opposition defenders (something that Lazzari should experience on Saturday). Therefore, the Brazilian gets the nod over Mattia Zaccagni, who hasn’t been at his best all season.