Juventus will look to momentarily return to the top of Serie A when they welcome Napoli to the Allianz Stadium on Friday night.

Massimiliano Allegri's side have been trading blows with current leaders Inter Milan, as the runaway top two are separated by just two points.

Match preview

Even though Juventus sit on 33 points from a possible 42, the Old Lady are still seen as substantial outsiders for the title.

Despite that, Allegri's men continue to keep the pressure on, with the manager's pragmatism proving a key factor in their ability to win three points with regularity.

Juventus were very close to another 1-0 win at Monza last weekend, before late drama gave the Bianconeri a late scare.

Leading 1-0 until the 92nd minute, Valentin Carboni levelled for Monza before Federico Gatti responded instantly with a very scruffy winner for the visitors.

The eventual one-goal win means that Juve have won five of their last six games by that margin, as well as a 1-1 draw with Inter two weeks ago.

Playing on Friday again gives Juventus another chance to go top before Inter play, as they managed a week ago, but the Nerazzurri's brilliance at Napoli sent them back to the top on Sunday.

Napoli have been difficult opponents of late though for Juve, failing to win any of the last four meetings, losing three, including a 5-1 against the Neapolitans last season.

Giacomo Raspadori's injury-time winner settled the game here at the Allianz Stadium last season as Napoli closed in on the title - condemning Juve to just one of two defeats at home since February in 22 games.

Juventus recorded four straight wins in this fixture between 2018 and 2021, but Napoli have still fared much better than most here in recent years, unbeaten in the last two visits, as well as winning late in the 2017-18 season when Napoli came up narrowly short for the Scudetto.

The Partenopei will come into the game battered and bruised after a humbling defeat at home to Inter last week though.

Sublime goals from Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barella put Inter in control before Marcus Thuram's late strike saw Simone Inzaghi's side come out 3-0 on top.

That was Napoli's biggest defeat at home to Inter since 1977, leaving them winless at home in their last six games at the Maradona and 11 points adrift of Inter after just 14 matches.

Sunday's defeat also leaves them outside the top four after Roma's win at Sassuolo prior to their clash with Inter, meaning their title defence is not going well at all, with Napoli already on their second manager of the season following Rudi Garcia's sacking.

Walter Mazzarri has come in and experienced a baptism of fire, even though he got off to a wonderful start by winning away in Bergamo against Atalanta BC.

A trip to the Bernabeu followed though, where they put up a good fight before falling to a late defeat, but back-to-back games against Inter and Juventus is as tough as it gets in Serie A.

Tightening up defensively will be paramount if Mazzarri wants to improve results, as they played well in their previous two games, but conceding seven goals is always likely to be costly.

The Neapolitans may be glad to be away from home this weekend, though, given the notable improvement in their away form this year.

Since mid-January, in 22 games on the road, Napoli have won 15 and lost just three times - two of which came at the Bernabeu and San Siro.

Team News

Defence remains the only area where Juventus have been struggling with injuries, with Mattia De Sciglio and Timothy Weah, who had been utilised as a right wing-back, the only absentees.

Danilo returned after six weeks out as a late substitute at Monza last week, but it is unclear whether Allegri will be keen to throw him back into the side for such a huge encounter.

Alex Sandro made his first start since August in the 2-1 win last week, but Daniele Rugani could well come back in on the left of a back three.

Hans Nicolussi Caviglia has been keeping Manuel Locatelli and Fabio Miretti out of the side in midfield and could start for a third straight game here.

Napoli are severely weakened in defensive areas heading into this one, especially at left-back, where all three senior players in that position are out.

Mathias Olivera's serious knee injury keeps him sidelined along with Mario Rui, who has a muscular issue, while Alessandro Zanoli is doubtful with a back problem.

Further issues have arisen in the week too, as captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo sustained an injury in training which could see him miss out here.

The right-back has not missed a Napoli game in over 18 months, and his absence would give Mazzarri a huge headache at the back, and could force him into reverting to his usually preferred formation of a back three.

Without any wing-backs at his disposal, Mazzarri may have to experiment, with Piotr Zielinski, Jesper Lindstrom and Diego Demme possible candidates to start on the left.

Despite the injury woes at the back, Napoli are hugely strengthened by the return of Victor Osimhen, who made his first start in two months last weekend.

Juventus possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Rugani; Cambiaso, McKennie, Nicolussi Caviglia, Rabiot, Kostic; Chiesa, Vlahovic

Napoli possible starting lineup:
Meret; Rrahmani, Ostigard, Natan; Politano, Zambo Anguissa, Lobotka, Zielinski; Raspadori, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia

We say: Juventus 1-0 Napoli

Juve have been the masters of a 1-0 win under Allegri, and almost got another one last weekend until some late drama.

Napoli look a completely different side to the one that beat Juventus 5-1 a year ago, and despite the return of Osimhen, they do not look likely to claim a result here.


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