Serie A: Can Fiorentina Cool Down Red-Hot Napoli?

Serie A: Can Fiorentina Cool Down Red-Hot Napoli?

Fiorentina vs Napoli

Two of the in-form clubs in Serie A are set to square off as Fiorentina host Napoli at the Stadio Artemio Franchi this Sunday night.

Napoli and Fiorentina have taken everyone by surprise so far this term as both clubs are punching above their weight.

I Partenopei are standing tall at the top with 18 points while La Viola are four notches below them, placing fifth with 12 points.

Both Luciano Spalletti and Vincenzo Italiano are enjoying their first seasons in charge at the helm for Napoli and Fiorentina respectively, which is commendable considering their failed stints from their previous Italian top-flight clubs.

Scoring goals at a healthy rate has been the secret to success for these two, so fans shouldn’t miss this game since it will be filled with numerous Serie A 2021 highlights.

The initial betting odds point to a comfortable win for the visitors since they are in slightly better form. However, Fiorentina are a side that shouldn’t be underestimated at all. 

Talking Points

Victor Osimhen is flying high for Napoli

Who would’ve thought that Napoli would take over Serie A after the first six matchdays given that they didn’t change their roster much? Certainly, not many of us believed that this will happen.

Luciano Spalletti has turned I Partenopei into a ruthless machine as they boast the best attack and defence as of the moment.

They’ve already scored 16 goals while conceding just twice and this is the part where we give kudos to their key players.

Victor Osimhen is in the best form of his life as he has scored seven times already for Napoli and he is supported by Fabian Ruiz and captain Lorenzo Insigne, who have two goals each.

Here at SBOTOP, we predicted that Osimhen is going to play a larger role this season and it’s good to see that his scintillating preseason form has carried over to this day.

The 22-year-old struggled mightily in his first season at Naples as he failed to live up to his €71-M transfer fee from Lille due to injuries and COVID-19.

Hopefully he can keep it up all season. Especially after losing to Spartak Moscow yesterday in the Europa League, Napoli will need him to score more in order for them to get back on the winning track.

Fiorentina seeking revenge against their visitors

Fiorentina are keen to turn the tables on Napoli as the latter embarrassed them last season.

In their two previous Serie A games, the Partneopei demolished La Viola – first with a 6-0 win last January, followed by a 2-0 triumph four months later.

La Viola clearly lacked the offencive ammunition back then. And with a more cohesive roster this time, their current unit will undergo a litmus test against their visitors this weekend.

Spearheading the charge will be Dusan Vlahovic, who is their top scorer with four so far. The 21-year-old Serbian has been getting a ton of suitors since he’s been linked to numerous big clubs in these past few months.

Joining him are the grizzled duo of Riccardo Saponara and Giacomo Bonaventura who have combined for four goals while Nicolas Gonzalez is an intriguing young prospect from Argentina.

There’s room for improvement for Fiorentina’s backline, though. And if they can tighten that up sooner than later, La Viola are going to be a handful to deal with. 

History

Fiorentina cannot simply rely on their home advantage since they’ve only won once in their last 12 Serie A home games versus Napoli. In the said period, Napoli have notched six wins and five draws.

Furthermore, a win here would definitely mean a lot for these two proud sides.

If Fiorentina win this game, they’ll achieve their second-best start to a campaign since the 2015/16 season after seven games (15 points).

As for Napoli, this will extend their streak to seven games, which will only happen for the second time in their history since having eight straight to start the 2017/18 campaign.

Betting Tip

Napoli Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.19

Given their sizzling form at Serie A, it’s no surprise that Napoli are the favoured side for this upcoming matchup.

The Serie A 2021 odds have the Partenopei at 1.94 to win, while Fiorentina are slated at 3.90 and a draw is at 3.35 in the 1X2 market.

Napoli have the better overall quality and they’re unbeaten in the Italian top-flight for a reason, which is why they will get our vote of confidence to grab their seventh consecutive victory for their 2021/22 campaign.

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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