Stadio Diego Armando Maradona varieties the backdrop for an thrilling Serie A round-two conflict between Napoli and Cagliari. It caps off Saturday’s schedule in Italy’s elite division as Antonio Conte’s males search one other win earlier than going into September’s worldwide break.
Targets from final season’s MVP Scott McTominay and newcomer Kevin De Bruyne impressed Napoli to a snug 2-0 win at newly promoted Sassuolo on matchday one. In doing so, the Partenopei prolonged their unbeaten Serie A streak to 13 matches (W8, D5).
Boasting the longest unbeaten run throughout Europe’s top-five leagues, Napoli head into proceedings as big favorites to make it 14 in a row. Taking part in on the Maradona Stadium for the primary time in 2025/26 can solely reinforce Napoli’s perception that they may begin the brand new season with back-to-back wins.
However, perennial strugglers Cagliari held Fiorentina to a 1-1 draw final weekend however have since misplaced their standout striker, Roberto Piccoli, to the identical opponent. Nonetheless, new supervisor Fabio Pisacane claimed an honest consequence on his touchline debut, maybe setting the tone for a extra resilient marketing campaign.
Cagliari barely prevented relegation final time period and look set for an additional season-long battle in opposition to the drop. Maybe the mortgage arrivals of Michael Folorunsho and Sebastiano Esposito may assist the membership offset Piccoli’s departure, with questions hovering over their scoring capability.
Match Preview
Napoli
As aforementioned, Napoli’s league type is second to none in Europe’s conventional top-five divisions. Moreover, Conte’s costs have gained eight of their final 11 house outings in Serie A (D3), rising the chance of sustaining a formidable matchday-two file.
Certainly, Napoli have gained on Gameweek 2 within the final 5 seasons, together with a 3-0 demolition of Bologna at this stadium of their title-winning 2024/25 marketing campaign. One other win with out conceding is a definite risk, contemplating they’ve turn into synonymous with defensive solidity below Conte.
Napoli have been the one crew in Serie A to concede below 30 targets final time period (27). Furthermore, they’ve capitulated greater than as soon as in solely one in every of their earlier 13 league video games. Notably cagey within the first half, they’ve shipped only one aim earlier than halftime of their final 12 fixtures.
Contemplating they humbled Cagliari by 2+ targets to nil in each league encounters final season, it’s laborious to look previous one other routine victory for the house aspect.
Cagliari
The guests can’t be thrilled about dealing with Napoli this early within the season, as they hope to seek out their ft below Pisacane and construct momentum. Harm limitation could also be on the forefront of Cagliari’s thoughts, not least as a result of they’ve solely gained one in every of their final 28 league matches in opposition to this opposition (D8, L19).
Though solely success in that stretch got here at this floor in 2019, it’s value noting that Cagliari have conceded not less than two targets in 11 of their final 13 visits to Naples. Cagliari’s away type towards the tip of the earlier marketing campaign was dire, producing only one win from ten league fixtures on the highway (D3, L6).
Due to this fact, Pisacane should discover a remedy for Cagliari’s journey illness to spice up their possibilities of trying up reasonably than down. Nevertheless, anticipating him to take action on Napoli’s house floor seems far-fetched. Discovering a gap aim may very well be decisive, realizing six of Cagliari’s final 9 away league fixtures have seen one or each groups fail to attain.
Group Information
Napoli will likely be with out star striker Romelu Lukaku. With the Belgian dealing with a prolonged spell on the sidelines, Rasmus Hojlund is on his way to joining Conte’s team from Manchester United on loan. Nevertheless, Lorenzo Lucca will lead the road this weekend. Along with Lukaku, new arrival Miguel Gutierrez is out with an ankle harm.
As for Cagliari, long-serving stalwart Leonardo Pavoletti isn’t in rivalry. The identical goes for goalkeeper Boris Radunovic. Esposito will possible take Pavoletti’s place in assault, with ex-Napoli stopper Elia Caprile set to exchange Radunovic in aim.
Napoli vs Cagliari Potential Beginning Line-ups
Napoli (4-2-3-1): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Jesus, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka; Politano, De Bruyne, McTominay; Lucca.
Cagliari (3-5-2): Caprile; Luperto, Mina, Obert; Zappa, Adopo, Prati, Folorunsho, Idrissi; Luvumbo, Esposito.
Napoli vs Cagliari Prediction
Napoli’s formidable house type and rock-solid protection below Conte make them overwhelming favorites to take all three factors. Cagliari’s poor away file additional tilts the stability towards the reigning champions.
With that in thoughts, we count on Napoli to cruise to a different snug win, possible by a margin of two or extra targets.
Prediction: Napoli to Win
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