No team has been able to reply to Napoli’s pressure lately but Atalanta may be the one team capable of ending their streak.
The lack of European football may be the key to a second title in three years for Napoli. The team has played fewer games than all its direct competitors and they have been merciless. The Blues won nine of their last ten fixtures in all competitions, with the only misstep being the 0-0 draw at Juventus.
Even more impressive is the fact that Napoli conceded a single goal in their last five games and even AC Milan couldn’t break their defence at home.
Atalanta are displaying similar feats and you could even argue that their performances have been even more impressive due to the big number of goals they’ve scored lately. The 5-1 over Genoa and the 6-1 over Verona stand out, in particular.
Atalanta only lost once in their last ten fixtures, but their underwhelming performance against Como was already too long ago to be considered. La Dea have fond memories from their previous visit to this stadium, so there is a lot to look forward to on Sunday.
How the bookies view it: Don’t rule Atalanta out
Napoli have the upper hand but bookmakers did not underestimate Atalanta’s capabilities to produce an upset. Betano gave the Blues 21/20 to win on Sunday, while the visitors sit at 53/20. Alternatively, you can bet on the draw at 12/5.
Recent head-to-head: One-sided with exceptions
While Napoli have been more dominant in recent years, Atalanta won their previous visit to this ground with a whopping 0-3. But before that, the Blues won four in a row. This rivalry always produces goals and eight of the last 10 H2Hs ended with over 2.5 goals.
Players to watch: Can Retegui make it 11 in 11?
Mateo Retegui’s transfer to Atalanta may be the club’s best decision in years and his move is already paying dividends. The striker played in every single Serie A round this season and scored 10 goals in 10 games. He is the current top scorer in the league.
On the other end, we can always expect action from Romelu Lukaku and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who are becoming a better duo with every passing game. The Belgian already has four goals in eight games and the Georgian has scored five in 10.
Probable line-ups
Napoli: Caprile, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Olivera, Anguissa, McTominay, Lobotka, Politano, Lukaku, Kvaratskhelia
Atalanta: Carnesecchi, Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac, Bellanova, de Roon, Ederson, Ruggeri, De Ketelaere, Lookman
Anything else catch the eye?
As previously mentioned, Napoli and Atalanta always produce fireworks. Eight of the last 10 H2Hs ended with over 2.5 goals and 7/10 featured both teams scoring. This particular fixture is more complicated as both sides play brilliant football. It is possible that we see one of those tight derbies that surprise us with a low scoreline.
However, the stats are impossible to overlook and we can’t skip the goal markets. Napoli have the best defence in the league but Atalanta are the highest-scoring team in the league with 26 goals in 10 rounds.
This Serie A match between Napoli and Atalanta will be played on Nov 3, 2024 and kick off at 11:30. Check below for our tipsters best Napoli vs Atalanta prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
