Frosinone vs Napoli

Stadio Benito Stirpe plays host to its first Serie A game since 2019 as newly-promoted Frosinone and defending champions Napoli lock horns in an exciting league opener.

Frosinone took Serie B by storm last season, finishing top of the table to earn top-flight promotion for the first time in four years. Despite bringing the team back to Italy’s top table, Fabio Grosso left the club in June, with former Roma manager Eusebio Di Francesco taking his place in the dugout. Despite his immense coaching experience in Serie A, Di Francesco has often struggled against Napoli, picking up just two wins in 13 previous managerial encounters against ‘I Partenopei’ (D4, L7). His poor record against Napoli cannot inspire much confidence in the Frosinone camp, and neither can the fact they’ve failed to win any of their last nine H2Hs (D2, L7). But ‘I Canarini’ turned Stadio Benito Stirpe into a fortress in 2022/23, clocking 14 wins in 19 home league outings (D3, L2).

On the other hand, inspired by a formidable attacking partnership between Victor Osimhen and KhvichaKvaratskhelia, Napoli steamrolled to their first Serie A title in 33 years last season. Soon after leading ‘I Partenopei’ to a long-awaited domestic triumph, title-winning manager Luciano Spalletti decided it was time to take a sabbatical, with ex-Roma coach Rudi Garcia filling the void. Garcia’s first assignment as the new chief of staff will be to extend Napoli’s traditionally phenomenal season starts, with the reigning champions running out winners in their last six top-flight openers. Considering Garica boasts a 100% unbeaten ratio in all-time managerial meetings with Di Francesco (W2, D3), the visitors look likely to get their title defense off to a flying start.