Serie A | Gameweek 23

Feb 2, 2025 at 7.45pm UK

Stadio Olimpico

Roma vs Napoli

Match preview

Thursday's 2-0 home win over an Eintracht Frankfurt side flying high in the Bundesliga was further proof that Roma have turned a corner under the calming influence of Claudio Ranieri.

The Rome-born coach has helped his boyhood club recover from a slow start in the Europa League, finishing 15th in the league and securing a play-off place in the last 16 for the third successive season.

The Giallorossi are also unbeaten in six Serie A matches, having lost seven of their previous nine, and will be looking for three successive league wins for the first time since March after recent victories over Genoa and Udinese.

Last week's win at Udinese - a first away win of the season, secured by second-half penalties from top scorer Artem Dovbyk and captain Lorenzo Pellegrini - saw Ranieri become the 15th coach in Italian top-flight history to reach 200 victories.

The ex-Napoli coach now faces a tough run of fixtures as he takes on his former club in Serie A before hosting AC Milan in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia.

Recent history will not be on their side this weekend: Roma have won just two of their last eight home games against Sunday's visitors, and have failed to find the net in three of the last four.

In fact, Napoli have only been beaten once in the last 10 meetings between the clubs, with the only defeat in that time coming courtesy of a goal from then Roma striker Romelu Lukaku.

The well-travelled forward now plies his trade in Naples, and his penalty completed the Partenopei's comeback at home to Juventus last week after in-form midfielder Frank Anguissa had pulled them level.

Napoli coach Antonio Conte, a multiple Scudetti winner as a player and manager, has clearly instilled a sense of resilience in a side that defended their title so tamely last term - despite losing two star players.

Not only have Conte's side won the most games after going ahead - 17 out of 18 so far - but they have also won the most after going behind (four), which puts them just above reigning champions Inter Milan in the table.

Having now won their last seven Serie A matches, another win in the Derby del Sole - the Derby of the Sun - would see Napoli go on an eight-game winning streak for the first time since early 2023.

They would then be on course for a third league title, and the fourth-placed Nerazzurri will move one step closer if they can win at the Stadio Olimpico.

Recent Performance

Roma Serie A form:WDWDWW

Roma form (all competitions):WDWLWW

Napoli Serie A form:WWWWWW

Team News

Having been forced to field his strongest side in midweek in a bid to avoid an early exit from the Europa League, Claudio Ranieri could call on the same men again on Sunday evening.

Roma, who are enjoying a rare injury-free spell, have just lost Spanish centre-back Mario Hermoso to Bayer Leverkusen - but he had become a back-up player under Ranieri.

Up front, Artem Dovbyk has scored in his last three league games and the Ukrainian striker has been directly involved in more goals than any other player in the last six Serie A matchdays, with four of his own and two assists.

Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku will lead Napoli's attack against his old club, having scored the winner in the reverse fixture in November. The Belgium international made his 150th Serie A appearance last week, including 32 for Roma last season.

Left-back Mathias Olivera will be the only absentee for the visitors, while defensive rock Alessandro Buongiorno has returned to full training and could come off the bench.

Ex-Roma duo Leonardo Spinazzola and Juan Jesus will once again fill in, with the former deputising for Olivera and the latter holding down the fort for Buongiorno.

Possible starting lineup

Roma possible starting lineup:

Svilar; Mancini, Hummels, Ndicka; Saelemaekers, Kone, Paredes, Angelino; Dybala, Pellegrini; Dovbyk

Napoli possible starting lineup:

Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Jesus, Spinazzola; Anguissa, Lobotka, McTominay; Politano, Lukaku, Neres