Napoli continue their bid to reclaim the Serie A crown with a visit to struggling Torino on Sunday.
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The defending champions, buoyed by their victory over Roma, aim to maintain momentum in a tight title race, while Torino hopes to end their recent slump and restore confidence.
Match Preview
Napoli surged to the top of the Serie A standings last week with a 1-0 victory over Roma in the Derby del Sole.
A solitary Romelu Lukaku strike, set up by Giovanni Di Lorenzo, secured the win, as Antonio Conte’s men dominated possession and restricted their opponents at Stadio Maradona.
The Azzurri’s resolute defense has been key to their success, with eight clean sheets in Serie A—second only to Juventus’ 10 across Europe’s top five leagues.
Their ability to shut down opponents, particularly in the first half of away games, has been a standout feature, having conceded just once in that timeframe.
Napoli enters the weekend amidst a fiercely contested title race, with six clubs separated by just four points.
While their home form under Conte has been exceptional—eight wins in nine matches across competitions—their away record leaves room for improvement.
However, history favors Napoli against Torino. Despite losing their most recent clash in Turin last January (3-0), they have won seven of their last nine visits to Stadio Olimpico Grande.
Victory on Sunday would further strengthen their Scudetto credentials ahead of a crucial Coppa Italia encounter with Lazio.
Torino, meanwhile, face an uphill battle. They managed to go unbeaten against Napoli last season for the first time in a decade but have struggled this term.
Currently languishing in the bottom half of the table, Paolo Vanoli’s side has won just once since October.
A dismal run of form has seen Torino collect only four points from their last eight matches—equaling rock-bottom Venezia for the fewest points in that period.
Last week’s 1-1 draw with Monza extended their winless streak, and their attacking struggles have become a growing concern, with just one goal scored in their past four outings.
With Vanoli’s team low on confidence and battling injuries, they will need a monumental effort to stop the champions from leaving Turin with three points.
Team News
Torino
The Granata will be without key players Perr Schuurs and Duvan Zapata, both recovering from ACL injuries, though Ivan Ilic could make his return following a hamstring issue.
Antonio Sanabria, who boasts a strong scoring record against Napoli, is expected to lead the attack alongside Che Adams.
Napoli
Antonio Conte has a nearly full-strength squad, with only reserve full-back Pasquale Mazzocchi sidelined due to a leg injury.
Conte is likely to field an unchanged XI, featuring a stable back four and a midfield trio led by Scott McTominay.
Napoli’s attacking firepower will be spearheaded by Romelu Lukaku, supported by Matteo Politano and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Lukaku, who has contributed nine goal involvements against Torino in Serie A, will look to extend his impressive record against the hosts.
Predicted Lineups
Torino (3-5-2):
Milinkovic-Savic; Walukiewicz, Coco, Masina; Pedersen, Vlasic, Ricci, Gineitis, Lazaro; Adams, Sanabria
Napoli (4-3-3):
Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka, McTominay; Politano, Lukaku, Kvaratskhelia
Prediction
With both teams accustomed to narrow-margin victories—each with four one-goal wins this season—this match could be tightly contested.
However, Napoli’s defensive solidity and Torino’s recent struggles tip the scales in favor of the visitors. Expect Conte’s side to leave Turin with a hard-fought victory as they keep pace in the title race.
