Only three places apart in the Serie A standings, reigning champions Napoli and promoted Genoa meet at Stadio Maradona on Saturday.
The Partenopei's latest loss leaves them well adrift of Italy's top four, while their visitors saw an impressive unbeaten streak abruptly ended last week.
Match preview
© Reuters
A week after scraping past Hellas Verona thanks to a late moment of magic from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Napoli suffered the eighth defeat of their dismal Scudetto defence and slipped further behind in the race for European qualification.
Leaving them ninth in the table, a 1-0 defeat to AC Milan at San Siro halted the champions' three-match unbeaten streak in Serie A and again highlighted their goalscoring woes.
The return of Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen - last year's Capocannoniere - will be much welcomed, then, by beleaguered boss Walter Mazzarri, who has failed to produce an upturn since replacing Rudi Garcia.
Mazzarri's men are now goalless in five away games stretching back to November, which represents Napoli's worst such run for several decades, and they now return to Neapolitan soil with the aim of keeping their top-four challenge alive.
Barcelona will visit Stadio Maradona next week, as the two clubs clash in the Champions League's last 16, but first the Partenopei play host to a Genoa side that has returned to the top flight with apparent ease.
Though Napoli have not lost any of the teams' last three league meetings - including a 2-2 draw earlier this season - they have won under half of their home matches in 2023-24, with the pressure of replicating last term's heroics proving a big burden.
© Reuters
Having let two precious points slip in September's reverse fixture at Marassi, where Mattia Bani and Mateo Retegui found the net before Napoli duo Giacomo Raspadori and Matteo Politano levelled the scores late on, Genoa may feel they have unfinished business this weekend.
Alberto Gilardino's side sit just five points behind the ailing Scudetto-holders ahead of Saturday's game, with a top-half finish in their sights rather than a springtime scrap against relegation.
Sitting 12th in the table, the Grifone have regularly tested the top teams in Calcio, with a potent strike partnership of Retegui and Albert Gudmundsson causing problems for defences up and down the Italian peninsula.
However, last season's Serie B runners-up did suffer a 4-1 home defeat to Atalanta BC last week, which finally concluded an eight-match unbeaten streak that featured draws with both Juventus and Inter Milan.
So far, Genoa have posted a healthy tally of 12 points from 36 available away from home, and in Naples they will aim to extend a four-game run without defeat on the road.
Team News
© Reuters
Due to his delayed return from the Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria came up just short of glory, Napoli's top scorer Victor Osimhen will not feature on Saturday afternoon, with Giovanni Simeone most likely continuing up front.
While the hosts can welcome first-choice goalkeeper Alex Meret back to the bench following an injury layoff, Juan Jesus is now ruled out by suspension; the latter's fellow Brazilian Natan should therefore step into the starting XI.
With Mario Rui back from a one-match ban, January signing Pasquale Mazzocchi could be demoted to a substitute role by Walter Mazzarri.
Though Osimhen's presence is in doubt, Genoa's main marksman Albert Gudmundsson will be available, and the Iceland international is just one goal away from hitting double figures in successive league campaigns.
Koni De Winter, who was suspended for the Grifone's 4-1 defeat to Atalanta, should return to the back three, meaning Alessandro Vogliacco's place is in some danger.
Head coach Alberto Gilardino has an almost full squad at his disposal, though Ridgeciano Haps remains sidelined by a knee sprain.
Napoli possible starting lineup:
Gollini; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Natan, Rui; Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Politano, Simeone, Kvaratskhelia
Genoa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; De Winter, Bani, Vasquez; Sabelli, Frendrup, Badelj, Malinovskyi, Spence; Gudmundsson; Retegui
We say: Napoli 1-1 Genoa
Short of a cutting edge, Napoli simply cannot compile a good run of results and are often left frustrated at Stadio Maradona. Having proven their mettle since promotion, Genoa are well-placed to take advantage, so the Grifone may return north with a point.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
