The biggest game of the weekend sees Serie A leaders Napoli face reigning champions Juventus in front of 60,000 screaming fans at Stadio San Paolo. Napoli have been among the league’s top three teams for several years but have been unable to depose Juventus. Max Allegri’s side have won six Serie A titles in a row, but Napoli look a serious threat to their chances of extending that to seven. They are still unbeaten after 14 games this season and currently sit four points above Juventus in the table. Maurizio Sarri’s men are playing with panache and vigour, but also defending extremely well, and they deserve their status as favourites to win the title. But this will be the sternest test of their credentials to date as Juve are now approaching their imperious best and look hell-bent on returning to the summit of Italian football.
Juventus were always going to struggle at the start of the 2017/18 campaign as they had to overcome the disappointment of losing 4-1 against Real Madrid in the Champions League final. They also suffered a hammer blow in the summer when Leonardo Bonucci deflected to nouveau riche AC Milan. That dismantled a fabled backline that had been the best in the world for several years. However, Juventus still have Giorgio Chiellini and Andre Barzagli, while Daniele Rugani is an excellent prospect and Gianluigi Buffon provides confidence between the sticks. They have conceded more goals than usual this season, but they are tightening up now and they have also compensated by playing some sensational attacking football.
Juve have scored more goals than anyone else in Serie A this season, a sensational return of 40 goals from 14 games. Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Higuain, and Mario Mandzukic form an attacking triumvirate that can match any in world football. Dybala and Higuain have 20 goals between them this season and plenty of midfielders are chipping in too, making Juventus a frightening prospect to defend against.
Napoli were thought to be finished as a serious force when they sold Higuain to Juventus, but they have emerged even stronger over the past 18 months. Dries Mertens has been lethal in front of goal, while Jose Callejon and Lorenzo Insigne are full of tricks and danger. They have greater consistency than any of their rivals as they were the only leading Serie A team that did not overhaul their squad in the summer, and that has paid dividends so far. Napoli have also produced a massive defensive improvement and have conceded the fewest goals in Serie A this season. That has propelled them to the summit of the table and they are now odds-on favourites to win the league. You can still get 6/5 at Stan James though and that price has tempted many punters.
That leaves Juventus as second favourites for the first time in years. They are now 6/4 with Bet Victor, Betway and 10Bet to win the league and that looks a really interesting bet. They slumped to a 3-2 defeat at Sampdoria after resting several players in the wake of Italy’s World Cup elimination, but in the aftermath the players pledged to turn their season around in the big games. They do not get much bigger than Napoli away, and Juventus’ players will be really fired up for this one. Since losing to Sampdoria, they have kept a clean sheet against the mighty Barcelona and thrashed Crotone. The defence is starting to click once more and the attack continues to impress, so they are in with a great chance of getting a result in this game. The opportunity to back Juventus at 31/10 is extremely rare, but that is what Bet Victor is offering and that is hugely attractive. Napoli are in great form and are the clear favourites here, but they have not beaten Juventus in the league since September 2015. You can get 4/5 with various green listed bookmakers on Juventus-draw double chance and that looks a really good option. Juventus simply cannot afford to lose this game and fall seven points behind Napoli, so they will fight tooth and nail for a result.
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