Verona vs Napoli Prediction: 18/8/2024

After returning to the top flight in 2019, Hellas Verona has consistently battled to avoid relegation over the past five seasons. Last year, the Gialloblu secured a 13th place finish in Serie A, narrowly staying clear of the relegation zone by just three points.

Despite finding themselves in the red zone at one point, two crucial wins in the final four matches allowed them to preserve their Serie A status. This season, Hellas Verona is once again expected to be near the bottom of the standings and will need to put in a lot of effort to avoid relegation come May.

On the other hand, Napoli, who haven’t won the Scudetto since 1990 during the Maradona era, finally broke their long title drought by winning the championship in 2023. However, the joy of that triumph seemed hard for the club to sustain, leading to a disappointing follow-up season.

Frequent coaching changes contributed to Napoli’s struggles, and they quickly fell out of the title race, ultimately finishing a disappointing 10th in Serie A, which means they won’t be competing in European competitions this year. Napoli is looking to rebound under the guidance of Antonio Conte and hopes to challenge for a Champions League spot this season.

Hellas Verona has seen some significant departures, including key winger Noslin (who scored 5 goals last season) and striker Thomas Henry, who has moved to Palermo. Last season’s loanees Folorunsho (Napoli) and Bonazzoli (Salernitana) have returned to their parent clubs.

However, the team has bolstered its ranks by signing players like piston Tchatchoua (from Charleroi), midfielder Serdar (Hertha Berlin), defenders Frese (Nordsjaelland) and Corradi (Vicenza), midfielder Harroui (Frosinone), and forward Mosquera (America). Promising young attacking midfielder Suslov is expected to play a bigger role this season, with veterans Dawidowicz, Magnani, goalkeeper Montipo, and midfielder Duda providing leadership.

Napoli, meanwhile, lost their key playmaker Zielinski, who moved to Inter on a free transfer. To strengthen the squad, they have brought in defenders Buongiorno (Torino) and Marin (Real Madrid), along with experienced left-back Spinazzola (Roma). The standout stars for Napoli remain attackers Kvaratskhelia, who scored 11 goals and provided 6 assists last season, and Osimhen, who netted 15 times. While Kvaratskhelia could potentially extend his stay, Osimhen has expressed a desire to move on.

 

Prediction

Verona’s last six Serie A matches have all featured under 3.5 goals, with a total of just eight goals scored across those games. Similarly, eight of Napoli’s nine top-flight matches this season have seen three goals or fewer. Given this pattern, a low-scoring game seems likely.

Prediction: Verona 1 : 1 Napoli