AS Roma travels away from home to face Napoli in their next Serie A encounter on Saturday as they look to continue their unbeaten start in Serie A.
Napoli vs AS Roma – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 24th October
- Kick-off: 5pm BST.
- Venue: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Napoli team news
Massimiliano Allegri faces a severe selection headache as a heavily crowded medical room forces tactical adjustments ahead of the Derby del Sole.
The Partenopei are completely without David Neres, who remains sidelined until mid-November with a hamstring injury. He is joined in the treatment room by defender Alessandro Buongiorno, out with a meniscus tear, as well as Costantino Favasuli and Alisson Santos.
On a positive note, midfielder Antonio Vergara has returned to full training, though a late assessment will determine his readiness for the bench. To balance workloads following a gruelling midweek European fixture, key stars Frank Anguissa and Kevin De Bruyne are expected to start among the substitutes.
Allegri is likely to deploy a 3-4-2-1 system, trusting Rasmus Højlund to lead the line, with Matteo Politano or Samuel Giovane supporting the attack behind him.
AS Roma team news
Gian Piero Gasperini’s soaring third-placed side travels to Naples facing a massive selection crisis with four definitive starters ruled out.
Captain Lorenzo Pellegrini is the latest casualty, sidelined for up to eight weeks after tearing his thigh during midweek European action.
The Giallorossi are also missing talisman Paulo Dybala due to a calf tear, while Manu Koné remains out with a thigh problem. Compounding their defensive woes, number-one goalkeeper Mile Svilar is out until late November with a toe injury, handing Pierluigi Gollini a starting role.
In a major boost to a depleted midfield, veteran Bryan Cristante has recovered ahead of schedule from a knee issue and goes straight into the squad.
Roma will likely mirror Napoli’s 3-4-2-1 shape, leaning heavily on Bryan Cristante and Marten de Roon to anchor the midfield while Donyell Malen spearheads the attack.
Form
Napoli
Napoli enter the derby seeking stability after experiencing highly contrasting results over the past week. Massimiliano Allegri’s side suffered a disappointing 1-0 domestic defeat against Venezia, which has intensified pressure on their league campaign. However, they quickly bounced back in midweek European action, securing a thrilling 4-3 victory over Bodø/Glimt. This high-scoring continental success has provided a much-needed morale boost as they look to correct their inconsistent Serie A form.
AS Roma
AS Roma is in stellar form under Gian Piero Gasperini, sitting third in Serie A and remaining completely unbeaten domestically. They boast the league’s best defense, highlighted by a recent 2-0 win over Genoa and a 0-0 draw with Como. In Europe, they bounce back brilliantly from an agonizing 4-3 loss against Real Madrid by crushing Slovan Bratislava 4-0 in midweek, showcasing immense attacking depth despite a severe squad injury crisis.
Predicted lineups
Napoli: Meret; Beukema, Marin, Rrahmani; Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Politano, De Bruyne; Hojlund
AS Roma: Gollini; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Lulli, De Roon, Pisilli, Wesley; Soule, Mora; Malen
How to watch Napoli vs AS Roma?
You can watch the Napoli vs Roma match live on DAZN UK and TNT Sports 4.
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