Serie A match preview: Juventus vs Napoli
All eyes will be on the Allianz Stadium on Sunday, January 25, for the historic clash between Luciano Spalletti’s Juventus and Antonio Conte’s Napoli on Matchday 22 of the Serie A.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Lorenzo Gagliotta previews the fiery fixture between the Bianconeri and the Partenopei, who are likely to come out on top, alongside players to watch and betting predictions.
How Juventus will look to upset Antonio Conte’s return to the Allianz Stadium
The rivalry between the two sides has only grown over the years, with Juventus’ dominant period a thing of the past and Napoli winning two Scudetto titles in the span of three years.
Former Juve player and manager Antonio Conte heads back to Turin, with two Serie A triumphs to his name, a strong season with Inter Milan and a hard-earned Scudetto success with Napoli.
Newly appointed Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti managed to bring Napoli their first maiden Serie A title in 2023 for the first time in over 30 years.
Juventus were on an unbeaten streak since their last match against the Partenopei. However, they fell short in a 1-0 defeat in Sardinia against Cagliari.
Despite the recent loss, Spalletti has come in and added defensive stability, with Gleison Bremer playing an integral role with his tackles and interceptions at the heart of the defence.
The Bianconeri are now looking to tactically exploit teams with their possession-based style of football and create the most chances with their forwards.
Turkish wonderkid Kenan Yildiz has fired on all cylinders in a standout season, with seven goals and four assists so far. His contributions in attack have been second to none for La Vecchia Signora in all competitions.
The manager Spalletti has reinstilled the attacking mindset back into the squad, with Juventus being one of the teams creating the biggest chances in attacking scenarios.
It’s whether star players like captain Manuel Locatelli in midfield, Yildiz and Bremer can hurt Conte’s side as they look to defend their Scudetto.
Will Scott McTominay be the game-changer for Napoli?
It is no secret that Scott McTominay has taken the city of Naples by storm, following a spectacular Scudetto-winning season.
Looking to build on his maiden title-winning campaign, he’s at the forefront of a project which looks to retain their third Serie A title in four years.
Conte made sure that this season, squad depth was key, to be able to support players like McTominay.
However, star signing Kevin De Bruyne and talisman Romelu Lukaku have faced little to no game time this season due to injury.
Napoli find themselves six points off the peak of the table in third and have struggled to find a good run of winning form to start 2026, drawing four in their last five games.
In those games, the Scot has found himself scoring four goals in the last few games, coming up decisive with a double in a 2-2 draw against winter champions Inter Milan, away from home at the San Siro.
Depending on the fixture, Conte finds himself adapting formations to be able to outplay opponents either in possession or on the transition, showing the tactical versatility that Napoli can offer.
If McTominay can have himself a day and play to his strengths, the Partenopei could find their good run of form with a crucial win at the Allianz Stadium to change the Scudetto narrative.
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Match prediction
Both sides have come off the back of a Champions League gameweek, with Napoli settling for a point at Parken against the 10 men of Copenhagen, whilst Juventus came away with a 2-0 win at home against Jose Mourinho’s Benfica.
It’s always an intriguing matchup between Spalletti and Conte, with only four points separating the sides, and a win could be critical for the push in the title race.
The last time out, the Azzurri came out victors against their biggest rivals at the Maradona in a 2-1 win, with a Danish double from Rasmus Hojlund.
Injuries have played a big role for both sides this season, with key players missing.
Napoli’s Belgian superstar De Bruyne is out till March. However, compatriot Lukaku looks set to return to the matchday squad.
Juventus are missing key pieces in the spine of the squad, with Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Gatti both requiring surgery.
All in all, the game will finish in a 2-2 draw in Turin, with goals popping up from the midfield for both sides, with the goalscorers being Weston McKennie and Scott McTominay.
Expect a game filled with emotion and tension, where a red card might be on display for either side in an important clash.
Betting tips
It’s definitely set to be an appetising fixture for the neutral come kick-off, as always is when the two sides meet in this historic rivalry.
Going off previous matchups, the Bianconeri have faced four defeats in their last six games against Napoli across all competitions.
Spalletti’s side have shown their strength to contend for a Scudetto this season, with Conte facing the challenge to retain a successive Serie A title back in Naples.
The over and under stats do show that in their last four encounters, there have been over 2.5 goals scored in the games.
Juventus have scored 10 goals in their last three games, compared to the Partenopei only scoring four in three, so in a tight game, expect goals galore between the two teams. Be sure to put in both teams to score.
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