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PREVIEW: Napoli's clash with Atalanta overshadows traditional Serie A heavyweight showdown

cricket16 January 2025 09:45| © Reuters
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Napoli © Getty Images

The battle for the Serie A title brings two of the three main contenders face-to-face this weekend when leaders Napoli play Atalanta, topping the bill over AC Milan's trip to Juventus.

It is not often that a Juventus and Milan clash gets overshadowed, but with both sides already out of the Scudetto running, their meeting on Saturday will play second fiddle to events in Bergamo later the same evening.

Atalanta's 11-game winning streak may have come to an end, with three consecutive draws slowing their pace, but they are still very much in the title hunt, in third place and four points off top spot.

Defeat at home to Napoli would leave Atalanta with a lot of ground to make up, but they will have been boosted by coming from behind to claim a 1-1 draw with Juventus on Tuesday to stretch their unbeaten league run to 15 games.

 

 

Napoli lost top spot after defeat to Lazio in December, but five wins on the bounce has brought Antonio Conte's side back to the summit.

The imminent departure of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, set to join Paris St Germain, will be seen by many as a huge body blow to their title chances, but Napoli have not suffered when without the Georgian winger.

Kvaratskhelia missed three of those last five games with injury, but Napoli have marched on regardless, while David Neres has begun to prove his worth to the manager.

The Brazilian winger, who arrived in August, was reduced to mere cameo appearances for much of the season, with Conte unwilling to play both Neres and Kvaratskhelia in his front three.

Neres has now well and truly broken into the side, starting the last five games, and while Kvaratskhelia was a massive part of Napoli's Scudetto win two seasons ago, Conte will feel this team is now strong enough to survive his loss.

Napoli travel to Bergamo aiming to avenge their 3-0 defeat to Atalanta earlier this season, but another loss could see the scales tip in Inter Milan's favour.

Inter are still favourites to retain their crown, but after six straight wins, Simone Inzaghi's side drew 2-2 with Bologna on Wednesday and sit three points behind Napoli with a game less played, and they host Empoli on Sunday.

THE UNDERCARD

Juventus remain the only unbeaten side in Serie A, but drawing 13 of 20 games is just not title contender form, and Thiago Motta's side are fifth, 13 points off Napoli.

The midweek draw at Atalanta was Juve's seventh stalemate in eight league games, and when they met Milan in November, they played out a dull scoreless draw, but their most recent meeting gives hope for a more entertaining tie in Turin.

Milan came from behind to win 2-1 in Riyadh in the Super Cup semifinal earlier this month in what was manager Sergio Conceicao's first game in charge and he went on to lift the trophy after a dramatic final against Inter.

Conceicao remains unbeaten as Milan manager, and while his side are seventh in the standings, a win would draw Milan level on points with Juventus, with a game less played.

 

 

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