Roma make a trip to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Monday to face title contenders Napoli in the Derby del Sole.
The two sides enter the contest separated by just two places but also nine points in the Serie A standings, with the Scudetto-chasing hosts holding the upper hand.
Napoli’s impressive start to the Serie A campaign has helped them keep a significant gap between themselves and Roma, and they remain in the race for a first title in over 30 years.
The Partenopei have had to watch on as both Milan and Inter took maximum points from their Good Friday fixtures, so they will play at the Maradona in third place, with a five-point gap to AC Milan.
That gap opened up due to last week’s loss at hme to Fiorentina, and despite second-half goals from Dries Mertens and Victor Osimhen, they fell to a 3-2 defeat.
Napoli have conceded in each of their last eight league games, and were also heavily defeated by Barcelona as they crashed out of Europe, so they are more vulnerable to the encounter.
On the other hand, Roma have assumed the identity of Serie A’s unbeatables, and they are the only team in the top flight to avoid defeat in their last 11 games.
Jose Mourinho’s side have shown plenty of fighting spirit, and the latest in a long line of comebacks saw them overturn a deficit to to Salernitana last weekend, as they scored twice in the final 10 minutes to secure a 2-1 victory at Stadio Olimpico.
Tammy Abraham’s early goal and a Nicolo Zaniolo hat-trick helped Jose Mourinho’s side to a 4-0 win over Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night and set up a Europa Conference League semi-final with Leicester City, with the first leg in England to be played later this month.
Napoli vs Roma head to head
The two teams have previously met on 47 occasions in all competitions, where Roma have taken 20 victories while Napoli have won 15, and they have drawn in 12. Napoli have scored 63 goals and conceded 73. In their last five meetings, Roma have won once, Napoli three with one draw.
Roma 2-1 Napoli 02/11/19
Napoli 2-1 Roma 05/07/20
Napoli 4-0 Roma 29/11/20
Roma 0-2 Napoli 21/03/21
Roma 0-0 Napoli 24/10/21
Napoli latest home form
Napoli have recently failed to keep a good run of form at home, as they have won just one of their five most recent matches. In their last home game, they lost 3-2 to Fiorentina in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored seven goals and conceded 10.
Napoli 1-1 Inter Milan 12/02/22
Napoli 2-4 Barcelona 24/02/22
Napoli 0-1 AC Milan 06/03/22
Napoli 2-1 Udinese 19/03/22
Napoli 2-3 Fiorentina 10/04/22
Napoli latest away form
Napoli have recently been on a good run of form on the road, having been unbeaten in their ten most recent matches. In their last away game, they managed to defeaat Atalanta 3-1 in the league. In their last five away matches, they have scored nine goals and conceded five.
Barcelona 1-1 Napoli 17/02/22
Cagliari 1-1 Napoli 21/02/22
Lazio 1-2 Napoli 27/02/22
Verona 1-2 Napoli 13/03/22
Atalanta 1-3 Napoli 03/04/22
Roma latest home form
Roma have recently been on a good run of form at home, having been unbeaten in their nine most recent matches. In their last home game, they managed to defeat Bodo/Glimt 4-0 in the Europa Conference League. In their last five matches, they have scored 11 goals and conceded two.
Roma 1-0 Atalanta 05/03/22
Roma 1-1 Vitesse 17/03/22
Roma 3-0 Lazio 20/03/22
Roma 2-1 Salernitana 10/04/22
Roma 4-0 Bodo/Glimit 14/04/22
Roma latest away form
Roma lost their last away game 2-1 to Bodo/Glimt in the Europa Conference League. However, they have recently been on a good run of form on the road, having been unbeaten in their previous five matches. In their last five away matches, they have scored five goals and conceded three.
Spezia 0-1 Roma 27/02/22
Vitesse 0-1 Roma 10/03/22
Udinese 1-1 Roma 13/03/22
Sampdoria 0-1 Roma 03/04/22
Bodo/Glimt 2-1 Roma 07/04/22
Napoli news
Andre Zambo Anguissa is back from suspension for Napoli and should start in midfield, while Giovanni Di Lorenzo is not expected to return from injury in time to feature against Roma.
Alessandro Zanoli is favourite to deputise in the back four once again, while reserve goalkeeper Alex Meret will be sidelined by gastroenteritis.
Roma news
Tammy Abraham will start up front in the Monday’s contest for Roma despite barely missing a match throughout a long season at home and abroad.
Sergio Olivera should return in midfield after being rested on Thursday, and captain Lorenzo Pellegrini is also back in the XI following his suspension against Salernitana.
Prediction and Odds
While Napoli are chasing the league title, Roma are seeking for a top-four finish, which will make this one a tight contest.
Both teams have won two of their last six Serie A clashes in Naples, meaning there is little separating them recently and we predict a draw or home win.
Odds: 1 2.20 X 2.05 2 2.40
Probable outcomes
Napoli 0-0 Roma
Napoli 1-1 Roma
Napoli 2-2 Roma
Napoli 1-0 Roma
Napoli 2-1 Roma
