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TURIN, ITALY - MAY 23:  Alvaro Morata (L) of Juventus FC is challenged by Miguel Angel Britos of SSC Napoli during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and SSC Napoli at Juventus Arena on May 23, 2015 in Turin, Italy.  (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
TURIN, ITALY - MAY 23: Alvaro Morata (L) of Juventus FC is challenged by Miguel Angel Britos of SSC Napoli during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and SSC Napoli at Juventus Arena on May 23, 2015 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Napoli vs. Juventus: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info

Adam DigbySep 25, 2015

Juventus travel south this weekend, with a tough encounter against Napoli at the Stadio San Paolo awaiting them. Having once again dropped points in a disappointing midweek draw with Frosinone, it is imperative the Bianconeri deliver a positive result in this important clash.

While their most recent outing—reviewed in detail here—saw signs of improvement from Massimilano Allegri’s men, they now have just five points from five Serie A matches in 2015/16.

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Conceding in the 91st minute left the coach infuriated, and he had no hesitation explaining his opinion as he addressed the performance in his post-match press conference.

“I’m angry because we must improve quickly,” Allegri said per the club’s official website. “At this moment we’re shipping goals from the first opportunity that falls our opponents’ way, you simply cannot concede from a corner with two minutes remaining.”

Frosinone's midfielder Nicolas Castillo (R) fights for the ball with Juventus' midfielder from France Maro Lemina during the Serie A football match Juventus vs Frosinione at 'Juventus Stadium' in Turin on September  23, 2015 . AFP PHOTO / GIUSEPPE CACACE

It was clear that message was received by the players too, with Mario Lemina telling JTV (h/t the Juventus website) that they must learn from their mistakes and that “everyone needs to stand up and be counted.”

The same is true of Napoli, however, with Maurizio Sarri seeing his team held to a 0-0 by Carpi just days after a five-goal demolition of Lazio. “The team is alive and kicking,” the coach told Mediaset Premium on Wednesday (h/t Football Italia) and he will want to further evidence of that against a much more difficult opponent.

Juventus have lost just two of their last six visits to the San Paolo, outscoring Napoli by 12 goals to seven, while the games have been ill-tempered affairs. According to WhoScored.com, those matches saw no fewer than 31 yellow cards, and that pattern is almost certain to continue.

EMPOLI, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 13:  Napoli's coach Maurizio Sarri looks on during the Serie A match between Empoli FC - SSC Napoli at Stadio Carlo Castellani on September 13, 2015 in Empoli, Italy.  (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Date: Saturday, September 26, 2015

Time: 7:45 p.m. BST (2:45 p.m. ET)

Venue: Stadio San Paolo, Naples

TV Info: BT Sport Europe (UK) beIN Sports (U.S.)

Live Stream: BT Sport app, Bein Sports Connect (U.S.)

Form Lines

Last 5 domestic results:

Sassuolo 2-1 NapoliJuventus 0-1 Udinese
Napoli 2-2 SampdoriaAS Roma 2-1 Juventus
Empoli 2-2 NapoliJuventus 1-1 Chievo
Napoli 5-0 LazioGenoa 0-2 Juventus
Carpi 0-0 NapoliJuventus 1-1 Frosinone

Predicted Formations

Napoli (4-3-3)

Pepe Reina; Elseid Hysaj, Raul Albiol, Kalidou Koulibaly, Faouzi Ghoulam; Allan, Jorginho, Marek Hamsik; Dries Mertens, Gonzalo Higuain, Lorenzo Insigne

Unavailable: None

Juventus (4-3-1-2)

Gigi Buffon; Simone Padoin, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Patrice Evra, Mario Lemina, Hernanes, Paul Pogba; Juan Cuadrado; Paulo Dybala, Alvaro Morata

Unavailable: Mario Mandzukic, Sami Khedira, Kwadwo Asamoah, Claudio Marchisio, Stephan Lichtsteiner (all injured)

Player to Watch

Looking for a player to watch, it is perhaps Paulo Dybala who Juventus will lean on heavily at the Stadio San Paolo. The Argentinian star has been one of their few consistent performers in 2015/16, and injuries to the club’s other strikers mean his performance against Napoli will be even more important.

Juventus' Argentinian forward Paulo Dybala takes part in a training session on the eve of an UEFA Champions League football match against Manchester City on September 14, 2015 at the 'Juventus Training Center' in Vinovo, near Turin.  AFP PHOTO / MARCO BER

Dybala has made just two starts in Serie A, even sitting out on Wednesday night against Frosinone despite the Bianconeri missing both Mario Mandzukic and Alvaro Morata with knocks.

“We are not expecting Dybala to be the main man right away this season,” the latter told Tuttosport this week (h/t BeIn Sports), but the team will depend upon him here. The player himself will hope to add to his impressive tally, having netted three goals in four appearances for his new club.

Key Battle

The matchup most likely to decide this encounter will come down the Napoli left, the area where Lorenzo Insigne has largely operated this term. The local-born attacking midfielder has seen his form reinvigorated under Maurizio Sarri’s guidance, and has arguably been the club’s best player thus far.

Insigne has netted two goals while adding two assists in the opening five games of the season, causing opponents constant problems as he drifts around the pitch. Keeping an eye on him will be a major factor for the Bianconeri, at a time when their right-back spot is one where they are particularly suffering.

Martin Caceres has missed the past few weeks with injury, and this week saw Stephan Lichtsteiner admitted to hospital with breathing difficulties. According to the official Juventus website, “it is unlikely that he will be available” to face Napoli, and whoever is tasked with marshalling Insigne will have a tough evening.

Odds (via Odds Shark)

Away win: 83-50

Home win: 33-20

Draw: 227-100

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