Genoa vs Napoli
Italy Serie A
Date: Saturday, 6 February 2021
Kick-Off at 19.45 UK
Venue: Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris, Genova.
Genoa will be aiming to get their revenge on Napoli for a heavy 6-0 loss at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona when they two teams face each other at Stadio Luigi Ferraris in the Serie A round 21.
The Rossoblu have been showing signs of improvement of late, with the team beating both Cagliari and Crotone in the previous two league fixtures, but Napoli are likely to pose a much bigger threat for the hosts than their previous rivals.
Both Biraschi and Cassata are sidelined with injuries, but they should be the only absentees in the home team.
The Neapolitans, on the other hand, head into the match following a 2-0 win over Parma. Genaro Gattuso’s troops are eager to keep their Scudetto hopes alive, and given their attacking potential, both teams to score betting option should be considered.
Both Ruiz and Mertens are sidelined with injuries.
Genoa vs Napoli Head-to-head
Teams Genoa Napoli played so far 36 matches.
Genoa won 8 direct matches. Napoli won 17 matches. 11 matches ended in a draw. On average in direct matches both teams scored a 2.69 goals per Match.
Genoa vs Napoli Prediction
Genoa in actual season average scored 1.32 goals per match. In 12 (92.31%) matches played at home was total goals (team and opponent) Over 1.5 goals. In 9 (69.23%) matches in season 2021 played at home was total goals (team and opponent) Over 2.5 goals.
Napoli average scored 2.10 goals per match in season 2021. In 9 (75.00%) matches played away was total goals (team and opponent) Over 1.5 goals. In 6 (50.00%) matches played away team was total goals (team and opponent) Over 2.5 goals.
Team News:
Visiting coach Gennaro Gattuso must continue to deal with a series of fixtures every few days, as his overworked outfit are back in Coppa Italia action on Wednesday. The former Milan manager is not expected to retain the three-man defence employed against Atalanta in midweek but could potentially produce some more surprise changes.
Dries Mertens has travelled to Belgium for treatment on an ankle injury, while fellow forward Lorenzo Insigne has a minor calf problem and will be reassessed before kickoff.
Influential midfielder Fabian Ruiz has been out due to COVID-19, so must wait to return a negative test before rejoining the squad. Therefore, Piotr Zielinski and Eljif Elmas should come back into the Napoli XI after dropping to the bench in the cup.
Big-money buy Victor Osimhen is approaching full fitness and can now contend with Andrea Petagna for the centre-forward spot.
Genoa coach Davide Ballardini benefits from a settled side and is expected to retain the same personnel in a 3-5-2 formation.
Cristian Zapata and Luca Pellegrini are set to come back into the Genoa squad after injury and will start on the bench, as experienced defenders Andrea Masiello and Domenico Criscito again helm the back line.
The increasingly established midfield trio of Kevin Strootman, Milan Badelj and Miha Zajc continues to offer balance in the engine room, with Eldor Shomurodov once more joining top scorer Mattia Destro up front.
Genoa possible starting lineup:
Perin; Masiello, Radovanovic, Criscito; Zappacosta, Strootman, Badelj, Zajc, Czyborra; Shomurodov, Destro
Napoli possible starting lineup:
Ospina; Di Lorenzo, Manolas, Koulibaly, Rui; Elmas, Bakayoko, Zielinski; Politano, Petagna, Lozano