Napoli vs Cremonese - prediction, team news, lineups

After their Serie A unbeaten streak astatine Stadio Maradona was yet ended, Napoli volition purpose to commencement different connected Friday evening, erstwhile they big relegation-threatened Cremonese.

The Partenopei's archetypal league nonaccomplishment successful Naples for good implicit a twelvemonth crushed their past anticipation of defending the title; meanwhile, lowly Cremo are simply warring for survival.

Match preview

Having seen a tally of 5 consecutive wins ended by a disappointing gully successful Parma, Napoli fans past witnessed the autumn of a overmuch longer series past week, erstwhile Lazio deservedly prevailed astatine the Maradona. 

A tame 2-0 decision ended the hosts' 26-match unbeaten streak astatine location successful Serie A - which dated backmost to December 2024 - and near them 12 points adrift of Inter Milan successful this year's Scudetto race. 

Picking up conscionable 1 constituent from those fixtures could adjacent endanger Napoli's precious Champions League spot - albeit fifth-placed Como present prevarication 8 down with 5 rounds remaining.

Antonio Conte's broadside whitethorn person added the Supercoppa Italiana to their trophy furniture this season, but the champion they tin realistically execute successful the league is fending disconnected Juventus and AC Milan to decorativeness runners-up.

With a cleanable grounds against the promoted teams truthful acold - winning 4 from 4 by an aggregate people of 8-2 - the confederate giants expect to instrumentality a measurement successful that absorption this weekend.

One specified occurrence was December's 2-0 triumph successful Cremona, wherever Rasmus Hojlund decided matters with a first-half brace, and Conte volition request a akin effect connected Friday.

Looking backmost down the decades, Cremonese person mislaid each but 1 of 8 attempts to decision Napoli successful a top-flight distant fixture, lone scoring 1 extremity successful the process.

Though past is not connected their side, the Grigiorossi would dearly emotion to reverse that inclination now, arsenic they stay successful chiseled information of a swift instrumentality to Serie B.

Last year's playoff winners started good nether Davide Nicola earlier plummeting down the standings, and lone a precocious alteration of absorption has slowed an seemingly inexorable decline. 

Cremonese person picked up a humble 4 points from arsenic galore matches nether caller brag Marco Giampaolo - having mislaid each of the erstwhile 4 - but they inactive await conscionable a 2nd triumph of 2026 aft Sunday's 0-0 gully with Torino.

As 18th-placed Lecce past fought backmost to assertion a constituent against Fiorentina connected Monday night, lone extremity quality is keeping Cremo retired of the driblet zone. 

Furthermore, the Lombardy nine look to person a tougher run-in than their main relegation rivals, starting with this week's travel down to Naples.

Napoli Serie A form:

W W W W D L

Cremonese Serie A form:

L L W L L D

Team News

Though Amir Rrahmani was backmost connected the seat pursuing a seven-game lack past week, Napoli inactive await fittingness tests connected skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo and young guardant Antonio Vergara.

Romelu Lukaku has returned from his arguable rehabilitation play successful Belgium, but helium is not acceptable to play; David Neres precocious resumed afloat grooming but is not yet available.

Set to enactment apical scorer Hojlund up front, Scott McTominay has 3 goals successful his past six Serie A matches; winger Matteo Politano has been straight progressive successful 4 crossed his past 4 league appearances astatine the Maradona.

Meanwhile, Cremonese are inactive missing Jamie Vardy with a muscular problem, portion Faris Moumbagna and Morten Thorsby are some large doubts. 

Michele Collocolo is not expected backmost until the commencement of adjacent month, arsenic helium continues to retrieve from a thigh injury.

In Vardy's absence, Federico Bonazzoli, Milan Djuric, Antonio Sanabria and David Okereke person each failed to find the people successful Cremo's past 2 matches - but the aforesaid quartet volition vie for 2 spots erstwhile again.

Napoli imaginable starting lineup:

Milinkovic-Savic; Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Olivera; Politano, Anguissa, Lobotka, Spinazzola; De Bruyne, McTominay; Hojlund

Cremonese imaginable starting lineup:

Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Luperto, Pezzella; Zerbin, Grassi, Maleh, Vandeputte; Bonazzoli, Sanabria

We say: Napoli 1-0 Cremonese

Following a burst of bully results, caller showings suggest Napoli whitethorn beryllium moving retired of steam - goals person surely begun to adust up.

Even so, the outgoing Serie A champions tin spot disconnected the meek menace of goal-shy Cremonese, whose scrap for endurance could spell down to the wire.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.