Napoli vs Parma Preview: Team News & Prediction
by Alex Lawes ·
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Defending champions Napoli are batting through a tricky period as the Neapolitans now welcome an often stubborn Parma side to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Kick-off date/time:
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Napoli preview: Battling Napoli
As Scott McTominay vociferously pointed out after he notched a match-saving brace against league leaders Internazionale to share a 2-2 draw with the Nerazzurri at the weekend, Napoli are finding it hard, but justifiably so, with so many injury issues.
Antonio Conte’s Partenopei won a piece of silverware over the festive period as they claimed the Supercoppa Italiana in Saudi Arabia but they have managed just two victories in their last five Serie A matches as they drift to four points behind Inter.
Parma preview: Stubborn Parma
Coached by Mikel Arteta’s former assistant coach at Arsenal, Carlos Cuesta, Parma are moving themselves into the middle-of-the-table with the visitors continuing to improve, having suffered just one defeat in their last four matches in Serie A.
The visitors managed to come from behind, having gone 1-0 down inside the first minute, against Lecce at the weekend, benefitting from Lecce going down to nine men with an own goal from Tiago Gabriel and then a winner scored by Mateo Pellegrino.
Napoli team news: The key issues
Those injuries outlined by McTominay include midfield trio Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Billy Gilmour and Kevin De Bruyne, alongside key striker Romelu Lukaku.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Rrahmani, Juan; Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Politano, Elmas; Hojlund
Unavailable: Gilmour (Injured), Anguissa (Injured), De Bruyne (Injured), David Neres (Injured), Lukaku (Injured)
Questionable:
Parma team news: No Lovik
Mathias Lovik is a fresh injury absentee for Parma, he is now sidelined alongside goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, defender Abdoulaye Ndiaye and striker Matija Frigan.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Corvi; Del Prato, Circati, Valenti, Valeri; Adrian Bernabe, Keita, Sorensen; Oristanio, Mateo Pellegrino, Ondrejka
Unavailable: Suzuki (Injured), Ndiaye (Injured), Lovik (Injured), Frigan (Injured)
Questionable:
Napoli vs Parma prediction
The expectation is that this will be hard-fought clash for Napoli, regardless of whether or not they taste victory down in Naples. Parma, as to be expected being coached by a disciple of Mikel Arteta, are focused on their duels and will try to be as awkward and as physical to play against for the Neapolitans. Napoli do have to remain favourites for this one but it is expected to be a low-scoring encounter.
Napoli vs Parma tip: Napoli to win & under 3.5 goals
