Hellas Verona vs Napoli: Match Preview and Predicted Lineups
Hellas Verona are set to host Napoli this Saturday afternoon, as the season continues along. This comes as Verona are winless in their last five games, picking up only a singular draw in that time. This has left them sitting tied for last on points in Serie A with only 15 through the first 26 games.
However, they face no easy opponent with Napoli coming into town. Napoli are looking to bounce back from a slow patch being winless in their last three games. Antonio Conte will push his side to pickup all three points to get the season and Champions League qualification back on track.
Giovane Nascimento is set to return to his former side after leaving for Napoli in January. Giovane has already lit up the scene for Napoli with five assists so far, and will hope to do the same in Verona. However, he will likely have limited time to do so as he is expected to come off the bench.
Predicted Lineups
Hellas Verona 3-5-2
Lorenzo Montipò
Armel Bella-Kotchap, Victor Nelsson, Andrias Edmundsson
Domagoj Bradarić, Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro, Roberto Gagliardini, Abdou Harroui, Martin Frese
Amin Sarr, Kieron Bowie
Hellas Verona will make no changes in defence from their 3-0 loss away at Sassuolo. However, they will make two changes in midfield with Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro and Roberto Gagliardini coming into the team. Meanwhile the attack will also go unchanged.
Napoli 3-4-2-1
Vanja Milinković-Savić
Sam Beukema, Alessandro Buongiorno, Juan Jesus
Matteo Politano, Stanislav Lobotka, Eljif Elmas, Leonardo Spinazzola
Alisson Santos, Antonio Vergara
Rasmus Højlund
Napoli also won’t change their defence from their loss against Atalanta last weekend. Both of the wingbacks will change for Napoli with Matteo Politano and Leonardo Spinazzola replacing Pasquale Mazzocchi and Miguel Gutierrez. The two attacking midfielders and striker won’t change for Napoli either.
Match Coverage
Inter Milan 2-0 Genoa: Match Report and Player Ratings
Inter Milan faced Genoa today, as they look to put the loss to Bodo Glimt behind them. They would start off doing so by dominating the early stretch of the game. But they struggled to score, coming so close with Justin Bijlow making some great saves to keep them out.
It looked like Inter would lose their heads, especially coming off a loss. Instead they pushed through and managed to find a goal thanks to Federico Dimarco. Henrik Mkhitaryan chipped the ball over the defensive line, who found Dimarco who hit it first time on the volley across the goal into the bottom left.
Inter would slow down in the second half as they look to control the game. However in doing so they slowly let Genoa back into. But Genoa struggled to create any real chances during the game to find an equaliser to the game.
Inter would look to pounce on this poor play from Genoa taking small chances when they could. This led to Inter being awarded a penalty in the 68th minute for a handball from Amorim. Of course Hakan Çalhanoglu would step up and slot it home into the bottom right corner. Inter would then see the game out with ease with a two goal advantage.
Player Ratings
The Best
Federico Dimarco – 7.5: Dimarco had another stellar performance for Inter Milan at home in the San Siro. His goal was a magical finish with a low volley across the goal finding the bottom right corner.
Henrik Mkhitaryan- 6.5: Mkhitaryan controlled the midfield for Inter Milan while he was on the pitch. He broke the line well for Inter multiple times including the goal while also moving the ball from defence.
Justin Bijlow – 6.5: Bijlow had a stellar performance for Inter in between the sticks. The first goal was also impossible to save, and the second was a penalty where he went the wrong way. However, he made some big saves during the game to stop it from getting to three or four nil.
The Worst
Marcus Thuram – 5: Marcus Thuram failed to have a strong input on today’s game. This come as it seems his head has been outside of Milan for a while as he struggled again.
Tommaso Baldanzi – 5: Baldanzi failed to have a big impact on today’s game as most of attack came through Genoa’s strikers. He failed to be the link from the midfield to the attack which hurt Genoa.
Amorim – 4: Amorim came on to start the second half and had a terrible half. He failed to get a hold of the game seeming a second behind most the time, and given away the penalty to Inter Milan.
Match Coverage
Hellas Verona 1-2 Napoli: Match Report and Player Ratings
Hellas Verona hosted Napoli today in the third game of match week 27. Verona were chasing an upset result against Napoli. This came as they were winless in their last five games with only one draw. However, their hopes of going so were dashed quickly. It would take Napoli only two minutes to break the dreadlock.
They did so on their first chance of the game through a header with Rasmus Hojlund. This came as he held play up to allow Matteo Politano to cross it in to Antonio Vergara. Vergara then played the ball to Hojlund who put the ball over the keeper to the left post to give Napoli the lead.
Napoli would continue the attacking pressure on for the rest of the first half. However, they failed to create any real big chances to score from. Meanwhile Verona slowly worked themselves into the game at home, having some minor attacks, but not creating any big chances. The second half would be much of the same with Napoli having the better of the chances.
However, Hellas Verona slowly and slowly worked themselves more into this game. This came to a head in the 64th minute when Verona won a corner. Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro would find the ball at the edge of the box after a headed clearance. He would hit the ball first time on the half volley and after a deflection he would find the back of the net to equalise for Verona.
But, the game was not over there as Napoli went back on the attack to look for a winner. It seemed that they weren’t going to find one getting locked out of Verona’s goal until the 94th minute. Then, Napoli took a corner short, which led to a low cross from Giovane Nascimento which Romelu Lukaku tucked away with the last kick of the game.
Player Ratings:
The Best
Rasmus Hojlund -7.5: Rasmus Hojlund was a standout player for Napoli today from kickoff. Hojlund scored in the second minute and was key in buildup holding up the play for the full 90.
Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro – 7: Akpa Akpro was key in the midfield for Verona today as he looked to control play through the middle. His goal was a well taken bonus to an already great performance.
Antonio Vergara – 6.5: Vergara started off the game well for Napoli assisting their goal in the second minute. He wouldn’t stop there however creating plenty of half chances but not being able to score.
The Worst
Kieron Bowie – 4.5: Bowie created very little in terms of offensive production for Verona today. Even when they where on the attack he did very little and he couldn’t hold up or create play as well as Amin Sarr did.
Stanislav Lobotka – 4: Lobotka looked invisible today in Napolis midfield as Elmas picked up most of the work. He had a couple of good moments but nothing to write home about, likely due to tired legs as he has played heavily for Napoli due to squad injuries.
Domagoj Bradaric – 4: Bradaric similar to Lobotka struggled to have a real effect on the game for Verona today. He started well but failed to build on it for the rest of the game, losing a hold of play and being dominated on the flank by Politano.
Match Coverage
Inter Milan vs Genoa: Match Preview and Predicted Lineups
Inter Milan will host Genoa today as they look to bounce back from a tough loss in the Champions League to Bodo Glimt. Bodo Glimt beat Inter over both legs including a 2-1 win at the San Siro. However, Inter are still firing winning all over their last five league matches.
Meanwhile Genoa are looking to build on a big win against Torino last weekend. This came after Genoa went winless in their last three Serie A games, including losses to Napoli and Lazio. But, travelling to the San Siro to play Inter Milan or AC Milan is always a hard task.
The last time these two sides faced off was on the 15th of December in Genoa. Inter came out flying in that game with Yann Aurel Bisseck and Lautaro Martinez scoring in the first half. Genoa would claw a goal back in a boring second half but it wouldn’t be enough to earn any points.
Predicted Lineups
Inter Milan 3-5-2:
Yann Sommer
Yann Bisseck, Francesco Acerbi, Manuel Akanji
Luís Henrique, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Piotr Zieliński, Petar Sučić, Carlos Augusto
Ange-Yoan Bonny, Marcus Thuram
Alessandro Bastoni will be rested for Inter today after scoring against Bodo Glimt, with Francesco Acerbi taking his place in the lineup. In midfield Cristian Chivu will make three changes with Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Petar Sucic and Carlos Augutso coming in, for Dimarco, Barella and Frattesi. Meanwhile it will be an all french striker partnership with Ange-Yoan Bonny and Marcus Thuram.
Genoa – 3-5-2:
Justin Bijlow
Alessandro Marcandalli, Leo Østigård, Johan Vásquez
Mikael Ellertsson, Ruslan Malinovskyi, Morten Frendrup, Tommaso Baldanzi, Aarón Martín
Vítor Ferreira, Lorenzo Colombo
Genoa will use an unchanged defence from the side that kept a clean sheet against Torino. Brooke Norton-Cuffy will drop to the bench for Aarón Martin, being the only change in midfield. Caleb Ekuban will drop to the bench despite scoring against Torino for Vitor Ferreira.
-
Transfer News4 months agoJuventus star summer signing could already be up for sale.
-
Match Report4 months agoInter vs Kairat Almaty: match review and player ratings
-
Transfer News4 months agoSeria A teams set to fight over Manchester United striker.
-
News4 months agoLuciano Spalletti could lead Juventus charge to keep star strikers.
-
Match Report4 months agoRangers vs Roma: Match Review and Player Ratings
-
News4 months agoFiorentina have decided on a new head coach
-
News4 months agoFiorentina evaluating new coaching hires to take over from Pioli.
-
News4 months agoAC Milan expected to have one injured player back on the bench
