Serie A | Gameweek 18

Dec 29, 2024 at 2pm UK

Stadio Diego Armando Maradona

Napoli vs Venezia

Match preview

In their final game before Christmas, first-half headers from Amir Rrahmani and Frank Anguissa were enough to maintain Napoli's good form away from home and extend their Serie A unbeaten run to eight games.

Although Genoa fought back in the second half at the Marassi, pulling a goal back before testing Alex Meret and then hitting the crossbar, Antonio Conte's men held on for victory to move to within two points of leaders Atalanta BC.

Conte, a former Juventus and Inter Milan coach, won his 150th game in charge of an Italian top-flight side and needs the fewest matches to reach the milestone - 220, well ahead of Helenio Herrera and Maurizio Sarri (both 261).

Such pedigree in the dugout, coupled with an unexpectedly strong first half of the season, makes Napoli strong title contenders, although they will be keen to halt a recent slide on home soil.

Defeats to Atalanta and Lazio have seen the Campania side lose two of their last three Serie A games at the Stadio Maradona, having won each of the first five matches of the season.

However, they have already equalled their total of home wins from the whole of last season, and history suggests that this tally will be surpassed on Sunday: going back to 1942, Napoli are unbeaten in eight top-flight meetings with the Veneti, keeping a clean sheet in each of the last five.

In fact, Venezia have yet to win a Serie A match in Naples and have won just one of the last 14 league meetings between the clubs in either of Italy's top two divisions.

On this occasion, the Lagunari make the long trip south needing points to boost their hopes of avoiding relegation back to Serie B, having emerged from the second tier as play-off winners last season.

After consecutive 2-2 draws to start December, the recent resurgence continued in the final game before Christmas, as Eusebio Di Francesco's side secured a valuable home win over relegation rivals Cagliari.

After a run of four successive defeats, Venezia are now unbeaten in three matches, moving them closer to the relegation zone - which they can escape if results go their way this weekend.

However, going back to the Arancioneroverdi's last spell in the top flight, they are on a 16-game winless streak away from home in Serie A and Conte's Napoli are unlikely to be welcoming hosts.

Recent Performance

Napoli Serie A form:DWWLWW

Napoli form (all competitions):WWLLWW

Venezia Serie A form:LLLDDW

Team News

Napoli will again be without Alessandro Buongiorno this weekend, but Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could return to the starting line-up after being limited to a cameo role at Genoa due to a knee sprain.

David Neres or Matteo Politano could therefore make way for Romelu Lukaku, who has scored eight goals in his last seven Serie A games against promoted clubs.

The engine room for the hosts will once again be led by the familiar trio of Frank Anguissa, Stanislav Lobotka and Scott McTominay.

Meanwhile, Venezia's injury list remains unchanged, with Michael Svoboda (ACL) joining Alfred Duncan (calf), Richie Sagrado and Antonio Raimondo (both thigh) on the sidelines.

Eusebio Di Francesco will keep changes to a minimum after a rare win last week, with Gaetano Oristanio and Gianluca Busio likely to start in support of lone striker Joel Pohjanpalo.

Possible starting lineup

Napoli possible starting lineup:

Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Jesus, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka, McTominay; Neres, Lukaku, Kvaratskhelia

Venezia possible starting lineup:

Stankovic; Altare, Idzes, Sverko; Zampano, Andersen, Nicolussi Caviglia, Ellertsson; Oristanio, Busio; Pohjanpalo