5 biggest fixtures for Napoli in the Serie A 2022-23
Napoli has made a grand comeback into the UEFA Champions League following a two-year halt after finishing third in the 2021-22 Serie A season. The Naples-based club fell short by seven points from achieving the glory of the Italian top-flight league after a 31-year drought. The fixtures of the forthcoming Serie A season have been announced as Gli Azzurri are charged up to put up another brave fight for the Scudetto.
In the previous season, Napoli climbed up to pole position in the standings on the fourth matchday and remained league leaders until the 15th matchday when AC Milan overtook them in the title race. Only a single win from the following five fixtures damaged their challenge for the trophy as they couldn’t draw back the momentum since then.
In his very first season at Naples, Luciano Spalletti has impressed everyone with his system and it is time for him to deliver the promises this season. The club legend Lorenzo Insigne has left his home to join Toronto FC in MLS while Spalletti has already signed his potential replacement Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Georgia. They will be kick-starting their anticipated 2022-23 Serie A in an away fixture with Hellas Verona on 15th August and here were going to look at the list of 5 toughest opponents for the Perthenopeans side in the forthcoming season.
#5 Fiorentina vs Napoli – 28th August
An urge to avenge the early Coppa Italia exit
There is no such enmity or rivalry between these two Italian football entities but Fiorentina is the club that has given tough times to the Napoli side a lot in recent times. Despite the shaky start of the 2021-22 campaign, the Violets still managed to earn the qualification for the UEFA Conference League playoffs and also reached the semifinals of the Coppa Italia competition. Hence the Purple Powerhouse who is returning to European football after seven years will be the team to watch out for the forthcoming season.
The opening fixture of the previous season was won by Napoli although the Florence-based club bounced back and outclassed their counterparts. When Napoli made their first appearance in the 2021-22 Coppa Italia in the Round of 16, they were eliminated from the competition by Florentina. The was equal on 2-2 after the completion of the initial 90 minutes and then the Violets went on to score three more at the extra time to seal the qualification for the Quarterfinal round although the likes of Dusan Vlahovic and Krzysztof Piatek who were on the scoresheet in that game are no longer part of the Fiorentina roster.
#4 Roma vs Napoli – 23rd October
Napoli is the biggest club in the northern region of Italy and shares the historic ties of enmity with capital-based outfit AS Roma as the battle between two elite sides is also called ‘Derby del Sole’. The Rome-based club had a great finish to the 2021-22 season where they clinched the inaugural edition of the UEFA Europa Conference League which is their first major trophy since the 2007 Coppa Italia triumph. The Portuguese gaffer Jose Mourinho has resurrected the Giallorossi side which was in a diminishing state before his arrival and is now considered capable enough to be title contenders.
The Perthenopeans are undefeated in this rivalry since 2019 as the Roma side could not register a single victory against them in the past five Serie A fixtures. While both of their encounters of the previous season concluded on draw outcomes as they stood on the same line throughout the play. Napoli will be surely missing the presence of Lorenzo Insigne who scored the club’s solitary goal when they faced each other last time.
#3 Napoli vs Juventus – 15th January
Napoli witnessed the Juventus side gracing the champions podium of Serie A from the runners-up position numerous times. The Naples-based club was just a position above the Bianconeri side in the previous season although there was a huge points difference of 9 between them. As the Old Lady is aiming to get back to prominence in the race for the Italian top-flight league, it will be very interesting to see how the two title contenders take on each other in the forthcoming season.
Napoli cruised past Juve in a throbbing first encounter of the previous season where a late winner from the star central defender Kalidou Koulibaly helped them to get away with three match points. While the second fixture of the season was played at Allianz Stadium on a neutral scoreline of 1-1 as the match points were shared between the combatants. Napoli remained undefeated against the White and Blacks in the previous season and the gaffer Saplletti would be aiming to continue the same momentum in this season too.
#2 AC Milan vs Napoli – 18th September
Napoli had an intense fight with AC Milan for the 2021-22 Scudetto race which they lost in the latter stages of the league and the Rossoneri lifted the trophy after 11 years of title drought. The playstyle of the two clubs is identical to each other as both of them are following the same system for years hence the manager’s job always becomes tough in this battle. The scenes will get interesting this season as the Perthenopeans are gearing up to launch a full-fledged attack on the reigning champions while Red Devils will leave no stone unturned to defend the title.
Napoli had a streak of finishing above their counterparts for seven straight seasons between 2012 to 2020 before it was broken by Milan’s Top 2 finishes in the past two seasons. The last time the Blues travelled to Milan to face the Red Devils, they returned to Naples with all three points as Elif Elmas’ goal remained the solitary strike of the game. Although AC Milan quickly avenged the defeat on the home turf and went on to register a 1-0 victory over Napoli in the return fixture at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
#1 Inter vs Napoli – 4th January
A familiar face will be back at San Siro
Napoli gaffer Spalletti is well acquainted with the Inter system as he has served the Milan Blues before turning up for the Parthenopeans. He spent two years in charge of the Nerazzurri before leaving out the place for Antonio Conte in 2019. The compactness of Inter defense is always tough for the opponents to read and counter-attack although the Naples-based can get the better of them due to the presence of Spalletti in the coach’s corner.
The high-profile battle between these two elite Italian sides will be played at San Siro on the 4th of January 2022. The last time they squared off against each other on the historic home venue of Inter Milan was a memorable fixture where the home side defeated the Naples invaders on a 3-2 scoreline. While the second fixture of the season at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona concluded with a 1-1 outcome.