Whenever Napoli and Juventus share the same pitch, the fans can anticipate a heated battle between two rivals who embody Italy’s two extremes.
And yet, Sunday’s contest will be a truly special edition of this fixture thanks to Luciano Spalletti’s first return to the Stadio Maradona since leading the Partenopei to their third Scudetto title in 2023.
Although it remains unclear who the fans will receive him, the 66-year-old has expressed his excitement about the occasion regardless of the nature welcome.
Curiously, Spalletti will find Antonio Conte in the opposite dugout, the man who rejected the opportunity to return to Juventus in the summer.
But once the action begins, all the past romance and subplots will give way to what should be an ultra-tactical battle between two of the finest tacticians of the current era.
So, let’s take a closer look at three tactical manoeuvres that could help the Old Lady prevail in hostile territory.
In Rasmus Hojlund, Noah Lang and David Neres, Napoli arguably boast the fastest attacking trio in Serie A.
In recent weeks, they have been causing havoc for their opponents on the counter, with Roma being their latest victim. Pierre Kalulu, Lloyd Kelly and Teun Koopmeiners won’t be able to cope with their speed in the sprint.
Hence, Spalletti would be better off adopting a low defensive block, and avoiding leaving spaces at the back for his pacey opponnets to exploit.
Napoli’s midfield has been pared down to the bone, with four key players (De Bruyne, Zambo Anguissa, Lobotka and Gilmour) out with injuries. Hence, Conte will reportedly field Eljif Elmas and Scott McTominay in a makeshift double-pivot.
(Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
For his part, Spalletti could also deploy two midfielders in Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram (or Fabio Miretti).
Nevertheless, bringing in wide players like Weston McKennie and Andrea Cambiaso to the middle of the park would add a numerical advantage and overwhelm Conte’s unconventional duo, which isn’t the most defensively apt
With the two formations mirroring one another, this contest could eventually be decided by a piece of individual skill.
Luckily for Juventus, they do indeed have the right men for the job, starting with the in-form Kenan Yildiz, a world-class talent who is able to produce a piece of magic at any given moment.
Francisco Conceicao can also forge something out with his speed and trickery, but keep an eye on Edon Zhegrova, the dribbling demon who is beginning to endear himself to the Bianconeri faithful despite his lack of minutes.
The Kosovar should make a late appearance as he continues to work on improving his physical condition, but his brief cameo could be highly impactful nonetheless.
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