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[monks data]
Jun 23, 2020 at 6.30pm UK at Marc Antonio Bentegodi
Hellas Verona
0 - 2
Napoli

Faraoni (53')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Milik (38'), Lozano (90')
Koulibaly (58')

Preview: Hellas Verona vs. Napoli - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Tuesday's Serie A fixture between Hellas Verona and Napoli, including team news and predicted lineups.

Hellas Verona and Napoli square off in Serie A on Tuesday evening with just one point separating the two teams in the table.

However, having closed the gap with a 2-1 win over Cagliari at the weekend, Verona will feel like they have momentum in their favour against the newly-crowned Coppa Italia champions.


Match preview

Napoli players celebrate winning the Coppa Italia on June 17, 2020© Reuters

While Gennaro Gattuso has only made a mixed impact at Stadio San Paolo in December, the feisty Italian has already delivered a piece of silverware for his new club.

Although Napoli were arguably the underdogs heading into meetings with Inter Milan and Juventus in the Coppa Italia, they rose to the occasion on both occasions to claim the trophy for the sixth time in their history.

Despite the success over Juve coming via a penalty shootout, Gattuso will take pride and confidence from keeping a clean sheet against the Serie A leaders for 90 minutes.

With a place in the Europa League having already been guaranteed for next season, Napoli can now attack the rest of the season as they bid to close the gap on fourth-placed Atalanta BC.

Even with 12 matches remaining, that appears an unlikely occurrence, but the scenario is set up for Gattuso to take more risks with his team selection and start planning for an improved league campaign in 2020-21.

As far as Verona are concerned, they will want to build on an excellent season which sees the club sit in seventh place and hold the fourth-best defensive record in the division.

The weekend's success over Cagliari was far from convincing, but Ivan Juric would have been delighted with the application of his side after Fabio Borini's first-half dismissal.

The result has kept ‎I Gialloblu on the coattails of their next opponents and there will be a belief within the ranks that they can continue to ride a crest of a wave after last year's promotion from Serie B.

If there is one criticism of Verona, it is their lack of goals, with Samuel Di Carmine's double against Cagliari making him the club's top scorer with five strikes.

Nevertheless, this close-knit group will take every match as it comes, and a win over Napoli on Tuesday evening would not go unnoticed by the likes of Roma and Atalanta above them.

Hellas Verona Serie A form: DDWDLW

Napoli Serie A form: WWLWWW
Napoli form (all competitions): WWDWDD


Team News

Arkadiusz Milik pictured for Napoli in December 2019© Reuters

Given the level of their last performance, Gattuso is unlikely to make many alterations to his Napoli starting lineup.

Having only been introduced as a substitute against Juve, Arkadiusz Milik could be restored to the centre of the attack, resulting in Dries Mertens moving out wide.

Matteo Politano is also pushing for a start after impressing during the second half of the Coppa Italia final.

With Borini serving a ban, Juric may hand a recall to Mattia Zaccagni, providing that he retains his 3-4-2-1 formation.

Miguel Veloso is also in contention after coming through 45 minutes as a substitute at the weekend.

Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Rrahmani, Kumbulla, Empereur; Faraoni, Badu, Amrabat, Lazovic; Verre, Zaccagni; Di Carmine

Napoli possible starting lineup:
Meret; Lorenzo, Maksimovic, Koulibaly, Rui; Ruiz, Demme, Zielinski; Mertens, Milik, Insigne


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Hellas Verona 1-1 Napoli

With both clubs wary of suffering a potentially-pivotal defeat, this has got a tight match written all over it. For large parts, there may be something of an impasse with regards to attacking intent, and that may lead to a low-scoring draw being played out.



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Napoli players celebrate winning the Coppa Italia on June 17, 2020
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Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1AC Milan11004223
2Atalanta BCAtalanta11002023
3Fiorentina11003213
4Inter Milan11002113
5Lazio11002113
6Torino11002113
7Roma11001013
8SpeziaSpezia11001013
9Hellas VeronaHellas Verona00000000
10Juventus00000000
11Napoli00000000
12SassuoloSassuolo00000000
13Cremonese100123-10
14Bologna100112-10
15Lecce100112-10
16Monza100112-10
17Empoli100101-10
18Salernitana100101-10
19Udinese100124-20
20Sampdoria100102-20

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