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Napoli are looking for an instant response after suffering their first defeat of the season against Atalanta BC on Saturday.
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Both teams have exceeded the traditional Calcio heavyweights in the first third of the season, despite being separated by five points at the top of the Serie A rankings, with the visitors having the upper hand.
Match preview
Both losing their 100% record in this season’s Champions League and being beaten for the first time since April, Napoli finally saw their spectacular streak stopped by Liverpool on Tuesday night.
With European football confirmed for after the World Cup break, Spalletti’s side can concentrate on their pursuit of a first Scudetto for over 30 years, as they host Empoli and Udinese in their final two fixtures before Qatar 2022 intervenes, after first visiting Bergamo this weekend.
One of several setbacks on home soil last term, Atalanta’s defeat to Napoli came at a time when it seemed Gian Piero Gasperini may finally have lost his golden touch, as La Dea began to ail after several years of overachievement.
While the Bergamaschi saw their own impressive unbeaten ended late last month – suffering a 2-0 loss to Lazio in their most recent outing on home soil – they still sit above both Milan clubs, Juventus and their Roman rivals in the race for a top-four place.
Team News
Likely to opt for continuity on Saturday, Gian Piero Gasperini may not make too many changes from the side that beat Empoli last weekend.
The latter actually made his Serie A debut with Napoli, playing 37 league matches for the visitors between 2013 and 2015, and in his last six league matches against the Partenopei has been directly involved in six goals.
As Ademola Lookman is a shoo-in to continue due to recent form, the Colombian striker will battle it out with young Rasmus Hojland to partner the ex-Everton forward up front.
Meanwhile, Gasperini is still without Marten de Roon and Davide Zappacosta through injury, and the former’s absence should see Mario Pasalic keep his place in midfield.
One of just two teams Giacomo Raspadori has faced five or more times without scoring nor providing an assist, La Dea are also something of a bogey team for Giovanni Simeone: the Argentinian striker has played more minutes against Atalanta than any other side he has scored no more than once against in Serie A (924).
Only Amir Rrahmani is set to miss out through injury this weekend, so either Leo Ostigard or Juan Jesus will fill in alongside defensive mainstay Kim Min-jae; after being benched in midweek, Piotr Zielinski should start in midfield.
Possible starting lineup:
| Atalanta | Napoli |
|---|---|
| Musso, Juan | Meret, Alex |
| Demiral, Merih | Di Lorenzo, Giovanni |
| Hateboer, Hans | Kim, Min-jae |
| Toloi, Rafael | Rui, Mario |
| Okoli, Calebt | Rrahmani, Amir |
| Koopmeiners, Teun | Lobotka, Stanislav |
| De Roon, Marten | Kvaratskhelia, Khvicha |
| Pasalic, Mario | Zambo Anguissa, Andre |
| Ederson | Zielinski, Piotr |
| Lookman, Ademola | Osimhen, Victor |
| Muriel, Luis | Lozano, Hirving |
Probabilities
Atalanta = 22.0%
Draw = 18.6%
Napoli = 59.4%
Prediction
Atalanta 1-2 Napoli
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