Napoli have not won since Monza, three rounds of the championship ago, and today they need a success to relaunch themselves in the race for European cups. Roma to try to secure fifth place, which this year means Champions League. To the Maradona the Derby del Sole, the former Derby del Sud, is staged, a never banal match, in a setting of an exceptional audience, with the stadium almost sold-out.
The official lineups are known. In Napoli the surprise is Mathias Olivera instead of Mario Rui in defense: the Uruguayan has just returned from injury. For the rest, Cajuste completes the midfield with Anguissa and Lobotka replacing the injured Zielinski. In front is Politano together with Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia.
At Roma, the good news is Ndicka’s return as a starter, two weeks after the illness that had scared everyone in Udine. In defence, given the absences of Llorente (suspended) and Smalling (injured), he goes alongside Mancini; on the right Kristensen preferred to Celik, on the left Spinazzola to Angelino. No surprises from the waist up: Bove takes the place of the suspended Paredes, Dybala-Azmoun-El Shaarawy the trident, with the Iranian winning the run-off with Abraham.
NAPLES (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Juan Jesus, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka, Cajuste; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia.
Trainer: Francesco Calzona
ROME (4-3-3): Svilar; Kistensen, Mancini, Ndicka, Spinazzola; Bove, Cristante, Pellegrini; Dybala, Azmoun, El Shaarawy
Trainer: Daniele De Rossi