Napoli vs Fiorentina
2017/18 Italian Serie A.
Date: Sunday, 10 December 2017
Kick-Off: 14:00 UK,
Venue: Stadio San Paolo (Naples).

Napoli will be looking to recover from a defeat to Juventus last round as they host Fiorentina on Sunday afternoon.

The Partenopei saw their unbeaten run in Serie A come to an end as Gonzalo Higuain again came back to haunt them in last round’s marquee fixture. As a result, they have slipped down to second, but Maurizio Sarri’s men will benefit from the fact that Juventus face another tough fixture by taking on league leaders Inter on Saturday. With someone bound to drop points there, Napoli could again re-claim top spot as they will be welcoming a Viola side who are struggling for form and confidence and this could represent a perfect opportunity to get back on track after a difficult week.

Napoli are also out of the Champions League after losing to bottom-placed Feyenoord, although it seems like the Partenopei were already more interested in focusing their attention on domestic affairs from the outset. However, they have now dropped down into the Europa League, and once that starts it will be interesting to see how Sarri manages his squad with his team once again competing on multiple fronts.

As for Fiorentina, they have won just one of their last five games – a 3-0 result against Sassuolo. That came after a four game winless streak that saw them pick up just two points from their last four, including a 1-1 draw with SPAL and a shocking 2-1 loss to Crotone. The Viola are clearly again struggling to find their way and don’t look like a side to be a serious contender to feature in Europe after failing to make the grade last season. Can Napoli exploit this as they aim to get back on track following two straight defeats across all competitions?

Napoli vs Fiorentina: Head-to-head

• Napoli have won their last 4 home matches against Fiorentina in all competitions


• Napoli have never conceded more than a single goal at the San Paolo against the Viola since March 2010


• Fiorentina haven’t beaten Napoli since March 23, 2014 (1-0 at the Stadio San Paolo)

Napoli vs Fiorentina: Prediction

It’s been a frustrating week for Napoli, and now they have another injury to another key player to worry about. Lorenzo Insigne is a doubt for this fixture, which provides another major headache for Maurizio Sarri.

The Partenopei found themselves in a similar situation last term, when Arkadiusz Milik got hurt after a bright start, and although Dries Mertens slotted in quite well as a faux center forward, it was not enough to prevent Juventus from running away with the Scudetto.

They’ll be loath to allow that to happen again and certainly can take advantage of Fiorentina’s general struggles, but their slump in form is something the Gigliati will be hoping to take advantage of.

Napoli vs Fiorentina: Betting tips

• Under 3.5 goals at 1.67


• Napoli to WIN and BTTS – YES at 2.60