What: Italian Serie A
Who: Juventus vs Napoli
When: Sunday 1st April, 2012, at 19:45 UK time
Where: Juventus Stadium, Turin, Italy
All Down to the Coach
For Juventus, the meeting with Napoli is just another hurdle to tackle in their bid for a first Serie A title since 2003. Four points off AC Milan, despite not losing in the league so far, a slip-up against fourth-placed Napoli could signal the end of the team’s title hopes. Antonio Conte and his side will be hopeful that this does not occur on home turf.
Having experienced a tough time since the Calciopoli scandal surfaced, it is this season that Juve have managed to reclaim some of their former lustre and play the football that elevated the giants to amongst Europe’s greats.
This revival has been due to former player and current coach Conte, who has had a huge impact at his former club and was recently praised by goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
“The secret of our success is the ambition our coach has”, said Buffon.
“Conte has brought a new mentality to the club. He has pushed us to sweat, to find strength and to put in hard work in order to cancel out the last two disappointing campaigns. He brings that winning mindset to the club every day based on his own hard-working, committed character."
Contenders Still
What will be certain after this season is that Napoli can no longer be considered anything less than serious contenders for the Serie A crown in years to come. With players such as Edinson Cavani and Marek Hamsik, the Partenopei can push for domestic silverware next season and establish a place among the continent’s strongest. A powerful showing against Juventus away from home would certainly help their cause.
This match will represent a glimpse of what is expected to occur on 20th May, as both sides line up on that date to dispute the Coppa Italia. And as Cavani has pointed out, the Bianconeri might still be without a loss so far, but that does not mean the Azzurri cannot prosper when the two meet.
“Playing against Juve is always very important for the Neapolitans and, consequently, it is for me”, said the Uruguayan. “Juve have not lost [this season], but we hope to beat them. I’d like to win a trophy in this shirt.”
A win for Napoli is crucial as well should the side hold any hope of toppling Lazio and beating them in the race for the third and final Champions League qualifying berth.
Recent form
Juventus:
Fiorentina 0-5 Juventus (17/03; Serie A)
Juventus 2-2 AC Milan (20/03; Coppa Italia)
Juventus 2-0 Inter (25/03; Serie A)
Napoli:
Udinese 2-2 Napoli (18/03; Serie A)
Napoli 2-0 Siena (21/03; Coppa Italia)
Napoli 2-2 Catania (25/03; Serie A)
Key absences
Juventus: None
Napoli: Gianluca Grava (doubt); Hugo Campagnaro (doubt); Christian Maggio; Marco Donadel
Players to watch
Juventus – Andrea Pirlo: The Italian has been a revelation so far this season, rolling back the years to be at the centre of Juventus’ great campaign. In order to beat Napoli, Pirlo will need to dictate play from midfield as he usually does, in typically stylish fashion.
Napoli – Edinson Cavani: Cavani is his side’s hottest property at the moment, and it is no wonder given the forward’s arsenal of abilities. The 2011 Copa America winner can decide any game, and his form will be essential to order to defeat Juventus on their own patch.
Match Prediction
This game will provide a hint of things to come next month in the Coppa Italia final. Juventus are not taking their foot off the gas given the four-point gap with Milan, while Napoli cannot afford to relax as they would kiss their Champions League aspirations goodbye. At the end of the day, expect a 2-1 score in favour of the home side.
This Juventus v Napoli Serie A clash could be full of goals and entertainment. How will you call it? Make sure you visit OLBG for tips and to compare the current odds and betting markets available at all the important bookmakers.
