With many of their players returning from international commitments for their own countries, Napoli and Juventus will be at each other at the Stadio San Paolo on Sunday to resume their domestic Italian campaigns. Outplayed by a much superior Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League not very long ago at the same venue, the Partenopei now face the prospect of facing an equally daunting opponent in Juventus on Sunday, April 2. The Bianconeri are clear leaders of Serie A with 63 points and 10 clear of their weekend rivals who are in the 3rd spot. Yet, Massimiliano Allegri’s men cannot take it easy against a host attack that has names likes Dries Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne and Marek Hamsík, all of whom have more than 10 goals to their credit each this season and are among the most dangerous strikers on the European circuit.
Dani Alves will join the Bianconeri defence on Sunday and will be assisted by the likes of Leonardo Bonucci, Alex Sandro and Medhi Benatia. The otherwise omnipresent Andrea Barzagli at the back still looks a doubtful starter for Sunday’s clash thanks to lingering injury issues. But that’s hardly affected a formidable Juve defence that has let in just 4 goals from their last 10 outings in all forms of competition, not to forget the role of the legendary Gigi Buffon between the posts. Like Alves for Brazil, Gonzalo Higuaín and Mario Mandzukic are back from representing their respective nations and will be there to spearhead the Juventus attack on Sunday. Allegri will stick to a defence-oriented 4-5-1 formation that has found him such success in all competitions while Maurizio Sarri’s Napoli will take more chances with a more attacking 4-3-3 formation and bank upon folks like Mertens and Insigne to fetch goals.
Napoli’s back line hasn’t been in the best of shape of late as was evinced in their most recent Serie A fixture, when they were rattled in a fortuitous 2-3 win over 17th placed Empoli. To stand up against one of the better attacking combines of the continent, the host’s defence will have to do much better. Juve look the more likely ones get goals and a score line in their favor reading like 1-2 could very much be on the cards. But Napoli’s impressive record at home (just 2 defeats) in the current Serie A season has somehow influenced bookmakers into giving them a slight edge in the Stadio San Paolo clash, as the odds given below would suggest. Juventus have prevailed over their Sunday rivals in 5 of the last 6 occasions they have met. So, it looks like anybody’s game.
Recommended Tip:
Both Teams to Score YES, Best Odds 5/6 @ Coral