28 September 2018
TOP OF THE TABLE CLASH
Just like last season and in the years gone by, both Juventus and Napoli will be heading into the match on Sunday 1st and 2nd in the Serie A standings, with three points separating the two. The Bianconeri have a 100% record so far, this campaign, whilst Napoli have lost just once in six games, winning all of the other five.
It was a return to winning ways for Juve on Wednesday night as they saw off Bologna 2-0 at Allianz Stadium. Paulo Dybala got the Bianconeri up and running after 11 minutes when Blaise Matuidi’s initial shot in the box was blocked by the keeper, with La Joya acrobatically following up to score his first goal of the season. Just six minutes later and the Old Lady rippled the back of the net once more with the aforementioned Matuidi finishing well from close range, after a great pass across goal from Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Bianconeri had chances to put the game out of sight in the second half, but the two-goal advantage proved to be enough, as Juve comfortably made it six wins from six.
NAPOLI MAKING THEIR MARK
It’s been an interesting start to the season for a Napoli after what was a summer of change for the club. Carlo Ancelotti returned to Italy replacing the outgoing Maurizio Sarri, adding the Partenopei to the list of illustrious clubs that he’s managed.
There are were a number of incomings and outgoings for Napoli in the summer, with the club signing no fewer than three goalkeepers in the form of Orestis Karnezis, Alex Meret and David Ospina from Udinese and Arsenal respectively. Other notable signings included Spanish midfielder, Fabian Ruiz recruited from Real Betis, whilst Simone Verdi arrived from Bologna. The clubs highest profile departures were goalkeeper Pepe Reina who left for Milan and Jorginho who was sold to Chelsea.
After winning their opening two games against Lazio and Milan, Napoli fell 3-0 to Sampdoria in week three before going on to win the following three. In their midweek game, Ancelotti’s side defeated Parma 3-0 at the San Paolo, with Lorenzo Insigne opening the scoring after four minutes, before Arkadiusz Milik scored a second half brace.
LAST TIME VS NAPOLI
Last season having won the first encounter 0-1 in Naples, courtesy of a Gonzalo Higuain goal, the two sides faced off in Turin towards the end of the season on Matchday 34. In a tense a tight affair, Napoli scored a 90th minute winner through defender Kalidou Koulibaly to earn a 0-1 win.
#JUVENAPOLI MATCH STATS
- In 144 Serie A matches Juventus have won 66 games to Napoli's 31, whilst there have been 47 draws between them.
- In Turin the record stands at Juve: 44, Napoli: Eight, Draw: 20.
- The Bianconeri have scored at least two goals in 10 of their last 11 home matches.
- Napoli have failed to keep two successive cleansheets in the league since March.
- Juve and Napoli have both suffered the least amount of shots in the league (49 each).
- The two sides have also had the first and second most shots in Serie A, Juve with 130, Napoli with 116.
- Cristiano Ronaldo has been involved in four of the six goals scored by Juve at the Allianz this season (two goals, two assists).
- Napoli's Allan has won the most duels in Serie A this season with 63.
- Massimiliano Allegri and Carlo Ancelotti have only faced each other twice in Serie A, with the record standing at one win for Ancelotti and one draw.
- Against Napoli, Allegri's record is eight wins, six draws, four defeats.
