Serie A: All Roads Lead to Rome for Conte’s Napoli

Lazio vs Napoli

Fourth meets first at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday when Serie A leaders Napoli head to Rome to take on Europe-chasing Lazio. 

Antonio Conte’s side have drawn their last two games, and they desperately need to get back to winning ways if they are to keep hold of top spot. Meanwhile, Lazio boss Marco Baroni, who took over in July 2024, is on track to improve on I Biancocelesti’s seventh placed finish last term, and they come into the game on the back of a thumping 5-1 win over Monza, while Napoli drew at home to Udinese.  

The latest Serie A 2025 betting odds make this Scudetto a two-way battle between Inter Milan and Napoli, with Atalanta fading out of the picture. I Nerazzurri are one point behind Conte’s men, but they have a humdinger of a clash away to Juventus on Sunday, so Napoli can apply more pressure if they can pick up a result in Rome.    

Talking Points

Lazio hopeful of quick Dia recovery

I Biancocelesti are making a run on the top four at the right time, and they meet Napoli with back-to-back league wins to build on, and they are hopeful that Senegalese forward Boulaye Dia may be fit to face Napoli after he picked up an injury in the win over Monza. He had a nasty clash with Monza defender Armando Izzo and was substituted late in the first half, but the 28-year-old’s ankle injury seems not to be as serious as first feared.

Replacement Pedro scored twice in the 5-1 goalfest, and he’s a very capable deputy, but Dia will be back in the side if he is 100-per cent fit, and the club’s medical team are optimistic he will be ready. If he does make it, Dia will join an attacking unit which includes Argentine striker Taty Castellanos and Azzurri star Mattia Zaccagni. Castellanos is a livewire and is top scoring with nine goals, but he is prone to get into trouble, already picking up six yellow cards and a red. Meanwhile, club captain Mattia Zaccagni has seven goals and five assists.

Baroni is working hard to get his squad all firing for the run-in and, to that end, the club has held a meeting with the representatives of wing-back Luca Pellegrini, who is on loan from Juventus. The 25-year-old featured heavily in the first half of the campaign, but he has fallen out of favour, with suggestions that his effort in training has not been the best. If Pellegrini is back in the fold, that will be a big plus for Lazio.     

Can Napoli do it without Kvaradona?    

Last weekend, mid-table Udinese presented Napoli with a chance to put a little space between themselves and Inter Milan. But they fluffed it, sharing the points in a 1-1 draw. With 18 shots and four on target, as well as 60-per cent possession, I Partenopei had plenty of opportunity but, other than Scott McTominay’s goal, they lacked a cutting edge.

The departure of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to PSG was the biggest Serie A 2025 news of the January window, and the Georgian was Napoli’s most creative player. And now Brazilian winger David Neres has been sidelined with a thigh injury. He could be out for over a month, and so Conte, who missed out on his main transfer target, Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho, will have to be resourceful now and the boss is likely to call on Giacomo Raspadori to fill the gap.

New signings Noah Okafor and Phillip Billing are squad players, and striker Romelu Lukaku, who has nine goals and six assists, really needs a top class provider to replace the departed Kvaradona. Is Raspodori the man? Time will tell.  

History

With 24 wins to 20 Napoli have just about had the better of the head-to-head encounters with Lazio, but I Biancocelsti sprung a surprise in Naples in December, coming away with a 1-0 victory. In fact, Lazio are unbeaten in this fixture over the last five meetings.  

Napoli have been strong away from home with eight wins, three draws, and one defeat, and recent form also favours Conte’s men, with four wins and two draws from the last six games compared with Lazio’s four victories and two losses  

Betting Tip

All three results are well in play here with the SBOTOP odds, making I Partenopei the marginal favourites at a price of 2.40, with Lazio at 2.62 and the draw at 3.01. This is a fascinating clash which Napoli really need to win, but then Lazio have a huge incentive too. And if I Partenopei do win all three points, they will have to fight hard.

 

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