Napoli take on Genoa this weekend, with the home side knowing that nothing other than three points will do if they are to have any hope of catching rivals Juventus at the top of the Serie A standings. However, with both sides having failed to win either of their last two top-flight outings, it could well be closer than many are predicting in Naples on Sunday evening.
Italian Serie A – Stadio San Paolo, Naples – Sunday 18th March – 19:45 UK Time
Napoli vs Genoa Match Preview
Napoli are looking bounce back from two disappointing results when they host Genoa in the Italian top-flight this weekend, with Maurizio Sarri’s men still harbouring hopes of lifting the Serie A title come the end of the campaign. However, with Genoa still not entirely out of the relegation frame as a result of their recent results, the visitors are also in desperate need of a positive result. For those still unsure of who to back, be sure to check out our top betting tip below. However, let’s first take a closer look at the two teams, starting with the home side.
Napoli Team News & Form
Napoli come into the clash off the back of a hard-fought point against Inter Milan at the San Siro, with Sarri’s men now finding themselves four points away from Juventus, despite having led the standings for a large proportion of the season. Belgian international Dries Mertens remains the club’s top scorer so far this season, with the attacker having found the back of the net 17 times already. Along with Jose Callejon and Lorenzo Insigne, Napoli have players capable of scoring at any moment. The hosts have scored a massive 62 goals so far this season in Serie A.
Genoa Team News & Form
Back-to-back defeats against Milan and Bologna have left Genoa just six point away from the relegation zone, with manager Davide Ballardini under pressure to ensure that his team return to winning ways sooner rather than later. However, the visitors will perhaps be heading to Naples more in hope than expectation, with Genoa having scored just 21 goals from their 27 Serie A outings to date. Former Tottenham Hotspur youngster Adel Taarabt and Gianluca Lapadula are among the biggest threats for the visitors.
Napoli vs Genoa Head to Head
The two teams have met 25 times in the past, with Napoli having won 11 of such meetings, as well as registering eight draws. In fact, you have to go all the way back to 2012 to find a last success for Genoa over Napoli in the Italian top-flight.
Napoli vs Genoa Betting Odds and Predictions
Given their position in the standings and their status as the home team this weekend, it comes as little surprise that it is Napoli who are the favourites for victory with the bookmakers. Those looking to back the home side can take advantage of odds of 1/5 with Ladbrokes, while the visitors are available at odds of 12/1 with the same bookmaker.
Napoli vs Genoa Betting Tip
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on Napoli scoring over 2.5 goals during the 90 minutes on Sunday, which is available at odds 11/10 ahead of kick-off at Ladbrokes.