This could very well be the game that decided the title in Serie A, or at the very least tilt the odds one way or another. A string of unsatisfactory results has led Napoli to drop the top spot and Inter, despite having some dodgy results themselves in recent weeks, have managed to take advantage of that and come up on top. If ever there was a game to earn the title ”six-pointer” than this would be it.
Napoli Team News
Antonio Conte’s men have lost their footing in the last several rounds, which has caused them to drop to first place in Serie A and give the initiative to Inter. Napoli has failed to win any of their last 4 league games, with the most recent one against Como ending in a shock 2-1 loss for The Parthenopeans. Across all of their last 5 Serie A matches, Napoli has both scored and conceded with the team’s last win coming at home against Juventus. Looking at Napoli’s home matches we can see a much better showing for the team, even though they have won only 3 of their last 5 such games, with their most recent home fixture ending in a 1-1 draw with Udinese. In this period, the Parthenopeans also recorded a home loss against Lazio.
Inter Team News
Inter has endured their fair share of hardships and turbulent form in recent weeks as well, yet despite that they have done enough to climb back to the Serie A top. The Nerazzurri have a neutral balance from their last 5 Serie A matches – 2 wins, 2 losses and a draw. What is more concerning for Simone Inzaghi is that both of these losses came on the road and were against top 6 teams – Fiorentina and Juventus. Inter failed to score in both losses, which could also be interpreted as a signal that the team is facing some issues away from home. Overall, though, the Nerazzurri are the joint-highest scoring team in the league with Atalanta with 59 goals scored. However, Inter’s defence is ranked third, behind that of Juventus and Napoli.
Head-to-Head-Games
Napoli and Inter tend to produce closely contested games without many goals. The 2 most recent meetings between them ended in 1-1 draws. A broader look at the last 5 H2H’s will reveal a slight advantage for Inter – 2 wins as opposed to only 1 for Napoli. Two of the last 5 direct matches produced over 2.5 goals, while 3 saw both teams scoring.
| Rank | Teams | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points | Current form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | SSC Napoli | 29 | 18 | 7 | 4 | 22 | 61 | DLDWD |
| Rank | Teams | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points | Current form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inter Milan | 29 | 19 | 7 | 3 | 38 | 64 | LWDWW |
Napoli – Inter Betting Prediction
Given the magnitude of this game, I wouldn’t be surprised if both teams apply caution. The recent H2H’s also suggest that this derby is not as high-scoring as others, but it is quite closely contested. Despite that, my pick will be for both teams to score. Napoli’s games in the last few weeks have a common trend between them – they always score and concede. Inter’s facing some issues away from home, as evidenced by their 2 consecutive losses on the road, but I expect them to turn up for this all-important game. Given the H2H history, which shows that the last 4 draws between Napoli and Inter have all shared the same 1-1 result, the recent form of Napoli and the importance of this game, I think that both teams to score here is not a bad option. Alternatively, a draw could also be a good decision as often such games end without a victor.
Betting Tip: Both Teams To Score: Yes
Bookmaker: Sportsbet.io
Odds: 1.90
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