After losing to AS Roma last weekend, Napoli’s chances of winning the title have dropped quite a lot. They do have one point more than the second-placed Juventus, but the reigning Serie A team has played one game less. Another problem for Napoli is that they have some pretty difficult challenges ahead, starting with the Sunday’s game against Inter at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan.
There’s no doubt that Napoli are coming to Northern Italy to try to take all 3 points, but the same plan is in the minds of Inter players. This means that Inter vs. Napoli is probably going to be one of the most entertaining games of the whole season. So, who’s gonna be the happier side when the ref blows the final whistle? Read this match preview and betting tips to find out!
Inter vs. Napoli: Match Preview
Inter
Inter players haven’t played a single game for over two weeks. The last weekend’s duel with their arch-rivals AC Milan was postponed due to the tragic death of Fiorentina captain Davide Astori. The break might have actually helped this team. Not only did they get the rest they needed but they also had plenty of time to prepare for the clash with Napoli.
Inter still have a good chance to book a place in the Champions League, but in order to achieve that, they need to start playing better. In the previous 5 Serie A matches, they won only twice, despite the fact that each of those games was against teams from the lower half of the table.
Inter’s rather poor form is surprising, considering that they have an amazing squad. However, it seems that the atmosphere in the locker room is not that good. Several players want out at the end of the season, including their biggest star, Mauro Icardi. Still, all of them are professionals, who must not let off-pitch problems affect their performances on the pitch. That’s why I believe they’ll show on Sunday what they’re made of.
Napoli
It seems that everyone have given up on Napoli after the last weekend’s defeat to Roma in Naples. Less than 10 days ago, this team was considered the number 1 favorite for winning the title. The things have changed and now the odds for them stand at 2.75 (William Hill). Of course, Napoli can change that easily by beating Inter on Sunday!
It wouldn’t be the first time – Napoli beat them 1:0 in Milan last season, when the scorer was Jose Callejon. This season, he’s been playing even better. The Spaniard is the team’s second-best-scorer this season, behind Dries Mertens, who’s scored 17 goals so far. In fact, Mertens is the 3rd best scorer in the league, behind Lazio’s Immobile and Inter’s Icardi.
With such talented forwards in the squad, Napoli seem capable of scoring against literally any opponent. Another thing that gives them confidence ahead of the duel with Inter is that their captain is back! Marek Hamsik was struggling with an injury, which is why he didn’t play against AS Roma from the very beginning. But, now, he seems more than ready to help his team grab much-needed points.
Team News
Inter absentees:
- Andrea Ranocchia (injury)
Napoli absentees:
- Faouzi Ghoulam (injury)
- Vlad Chiriches (doubtful)
Probable Lineups
Inter: Handanovic – Skriniar, Miranda, Cancelo, D’Ambrosio – Gagliardini, Vecino, Valero, Perisic, Candreva – Icardi
Napoli: Reina – Albiol, Koulibaly, Hysaj, Rui – Jorginho, Allan, Hamsik – Callejon, Insigne, Mertens
Inter vs. Napoli Match Prediction
Betting on the outcome of this game seems too risky as anything can happen here. What’s much better, in my opinion, is betting on goals. We’re guaranteed to see a lot of them, as both sides are superb in the attack, not to mention that they’ll also be super motivated.
Inter vs. Napoli Betting Tips
BTS @1.80 (bet365)
Over 2.5 Goals @2.00 (bet365)
