The Serie A Matchday 28 fixture between Napoli and Torino will take place on 6 March at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples. Napoli vs Torino: prediction, betting odds and statistics.
Napoli
In the previous round, Napoli won away to Verona by a 2:1 scoreline. The opposition are bottom of the Serie A standings and are considered one of the worst teams in the league in attacking terms, yet they still managed to score against the home side. As a result, the team have conceded in six consecutive league matches. In terms of chances created, Antonio Conte’s men produced just 0.69 xG. This has not been a one-off this season – Napoli matches rarely turn into open, chance-filled affairs. Even so, this style continues to bring results: the club remain in the top three, with 53 points to their name.
In 12 home matches in Serie A this season, Napoli have won eight (drawn four).
The hosts have scored at least one goal in six of their last seven league games.
At least three goals have been scored in the club’s last six matches in this competition.
Potential Napoli Lineup (4-3-3)*
Vanja Milinkovic-Savic – Alessandro Buongiorno, Sam Beukema, Amir Rrahmani, Leonardo Spinazzola – Stanislav Lobotka, Matteo Politano, Miguel Gutierrez – Antonio Vergara, Rasmus Hojlund, Elif Elmas.
Midfielders Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Billy Gilmour and Kevin De Bruyne, defenders Amir Rrahmani and Giovanni Di Lorenzo, as well as forward David Neres, will miss the match through injury.
Torino
Torino beat Lazio 2:0 in the last round. That victory was the team’s first in their previous five matches (one draw, three defeats) and only their sixth win of the current season. The club currently sit 14th in the Serie A standings. Overall, it has been a very difficult campaign for the Turin side – one of their worst in recent years. The team have managed only six league wins, boast the second-worst defence in the division and rank among the least prolific sides. After 26 matchdays, Torino have scored just 27 goals and conceded 47. Even the success against Lazio, who are themselves going through a tough spell, is hard to describe as a major achievement.
Torino have conceded at least one goal in seven of their last nine Serie A matches.
In their previous nine league games, the team have recorded two wins (one draw, six defeats).
At least one team has failed to score in six of Torino’s last eight matches in this competition.
Potential Torino Lineup (3-5-2)*
Alberto Paleari – Saul Coco, Guillermo Maripan, Luca Marianucci – Marcus Pedersen, Gvidas Gineitis, Nikola Vlasic, Matteo Prati, Zakaria Aboukhlal – Che Adams, Giovanni Simeone.
Defender Ardian Ismajli, forwards Che Adams and Zanos Savva will not take part in the match due to injuries.
Napoli vs Torino: Match Prediction
As we have already said, Napoli were far from convincing against a relegation candidate. Supporters clearly expected a different response after the draw with Roma and the painful defeat to Atalanta. In addition, the club are already out of European competition and the Coppa Italia, so the questions around Conte’s work are only growing. At present, the hosts do not have a congested schedule – they play only once a week and are focused exclusively on Serie A – so it would be logical to expect more purposeful, entertaining football. However, the match against Verona did not show that. The meeting with Torino is a good chance to make amends in front of their own fans.
The visitors are one of the league’s weakest teams defensively, having already conceded 47 goals. Most likely, Napoli will enjoy more possession and gradually build pressure, and against a back line like this the team must create chances. The issue is that the hosts often drop off after scoring and start playing too cautiously. Even so, given the gap in quality and Torino’s erratic defending, we believe Napoli will claim a convincing home win. The match is likely to be played on their terms, while the away side should struggle to offer serious resistance, especially as Torino have lost three of their last four away matches in Serie A.
Prediction: Napoli to win
* For each team, the starting XI from their previous match in this competition is listed.
