What to Expect from Napoli's Meeting with Roma

Napoli take on Roma at the Stadio San Paolo this weekend in what will prove to be a crucial match for determining the competitiveness of Rafael Benitez’s men for the remainder of the season.

Just examining league play, the Partenopei come into the fixture on a six-match unbeaten streak. Napoli underwent a mini crisis at the very beginning of the campaign with back-to-back 1-0 defeats to Chievo and Udinese. It appears as though Napoli’s play has improved, but the rough tides of bad luck have yet to wash away.

After a slow start, Benitez’s men have found their rhythm—thanks in part due to Marek Hamsik and Gonzalo Higuain finding their form—and look to make a serious claim in capturing a Champions League place. The Partenopei sit in seventh place with 15 points after nine matches played, per WhoScored.com.

Tensions will be especially high as this match is the first meeting between the two since the shooting of Napoli supporter Ciro Esposito before the Coppa Italia final between Napoli and Fiorentina in Rome. Due to security measures, the Roma squad will fly down instead of taking the train and will be housed in a secret location, per James Horncastle of Guardian Football.

The action on the pitch however, will be hard fought from start to finish—displaying two sides vying for top league finishes. Napoli’s last two matches saw a shift in concentration and focus, something that we have only seen flashes of so far this season. Benitez’s side have shown a lot more urgency in their play in the previous two matches—very indicative of their performances from last season which helped them reach third place.

It seems as though mental issues and confidence were Napoli’s biggest aggressors from the start of the season—the Champions League exit to Athletic Bilbao being the focal point. However, the Neapolitans have bounced back remarkably. They have fired 27 shots on target in their last three matches, according to WhoScored, so the side are definitely getting good looks on goal.

For Benitez, the Atalanta match proved to be a benchmark for assessing his side’s hunger for the future. Speaking to Sky Sports Italia (h/t to Football Italia), the Spanish tactician stated:

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“I think this performance should make the team even more determined. If we play every game with this mentality and determination, then we will do well.”

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Saturday’s battle will showcase two of the very best attacks in Serie A. Both teams have scored at least 16 goals and average more than 14 shots per match, per Squawka.com. The midfield battle will be tough from a Napoli standpoint seeing as they will have to cope with being a man down in midfield—Benitez opts for two in the centre while Roma field three.

The key to stopping Rudi Garcia’s Roma will be defensive sturdiness—something this Napoli side suffer from considerably. Rafa’s men will have to deal with pacey opponents in Gervinho and Alessandro Florenzi. Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly has impressed many due to his consistent performances. He will need to be solid at the heart of the defence to deny a high-flying Roma.

Given Napoli’s recent performances, the home side will play at a much higher tempo while moving the ball and get good chances on goal. Expect Napoli to sit back and counter while Roma enjoy a majority of the possession. For the Partenopei to defeat the Romans, Hamsik, Higuain and Jose Callejon must be firing on all cylinders and make the most out of counterattacking play. Hamsik has been criticized in the past for not showing up for big matches, so he has a definite point to prove on Saturday. For Napoli to do well, Higuain has to be clinical in front of goal.

Club captain Hamsik is certainly fired up for this match. The 27-year-old led his side to beat Roma with a 1-0 scoreline in this same fixture last season. Writing in his blog, (h/t Football Italia), the Slovakian international spoke of his disappointment against Atalanta, but declared that his side want nothing but a victory against the Giallorossi.

Undoubtedly, this match will serve as an important mental test for both sides. If Roma lose, it could indicate that the squad is not yet able to balance league play with European competition. Perhaps if Napoli do go ahead and win the match, the team can prove that they possess the right spirit and determination for the long journey ahead.