Napoli vs Spezia

Napoli and Spezia are set to trade tackles at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in an exciting Serie A match-up.

Fresh from a 4-1 thumping of Liverpool in midweek Champions League action, Napoli will be looking to continue their 100% unbeaten Serie A start (W3, D2). After back-to-back league draws, ‘I Partenopei’ came from behind to beat Lazio 2-1 on the road last time out, stretching their undefeated Serie A run to nine matches (W7, D2), last season included. They are now one point away from reaching a 12-point milestone after the opening six Serie A fixtures for the seventh season in a row. Ominously for Luciano Spalletti’s side, they have lost both previous Serie A home meetings with Spezia via a single-goal margin. But Spalletti’s men have been terrorizing Serie A backlines this term, attempting more shots on goal (98) than any other side in Italy’s top division. Then it comes as no big surprise that they’ve scored a league-high 12 goals to date.

As for Spezia, a topsy-turvy 2-2 home stalemate with Bologna last time out means they have alternated between drawing (2) and losing (2) in four Serie A outings since a 1-0 home victory over Empoli on the opening weekend. More importantly, the visitors’ fragile backline has conceded 2+ goals in each of their last four Serie A matches, which spells trouble following a couple of three-goal margin defeats in their three previous top-flight H2Hs (W1). Moreover, visiting manager Luca Gotti has lost his last four Serie A encounters against Napoli. If that’s not enough for concern, ‘I Aquilotti’ have only won once in their nine previous Serie A games away from home (D2, L6), drawing a blank twice on the trot in the build-up to this trip.