
Juventus vs. Napoli: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Juventus and Napoli meet in Turin on Saturday night, facing off in a match that will undoubtedly have a major say in the destination of the Serie A title. The Bianconeri are just two points behind their opponents, and a win for either side could end the other’s hopes of clinching the ultimate prize.
The visitors have not won the Scudetto since the days Diego Maradona carried them to the only two championships in their history, but their current form has given them hope of ending that 26-year drought.
Losing coach Rafael Benitez in the summer, Napoli turned to Maurizio Sarri as his replacement, and the 57-year-old has improved the side beyond all expectation. Sitting top of the table, the Partenopei boast the highest number of goals scored (53) and second-fewest conceded (19) under a man with only one year of top-flight experience.
Currently enjoying a club-record eight consecutive victories, they come up against the only side in arguably better form, with Juventus having won 14 in a row themselves. The Bianconeri have scored eight fewer times but have the meanest defence in Italy after allowing just 15 goals in the 24 matches thus far.
But they approach this clash with a large number of injuries, the club’s official website revealing that Giorgio Chiellini had been ruled out for 20 days with a calf injury. That sees him join Martin Caceres, Mario Mandzukic and Kwadwo Asamoah on the sidelines, while Sami Khedira will hope to return.
It is certain to be an enthralling match, although Marcello Lippi—who coached both teams during his successful career—believes that by May, it will not ultimately prove vital to whoever clinches the ultimate prize.
“Whatever happens on Saturday, there will still be 13 games or 39 points until the end of the season,” he told Radio Radio2 this week (h/t Football Italia). “Whatever the result, it won’t be decisive.”

Date: Saturday, February 13, 2016
Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Juventus Stadium, Turin
TV Info: BT Sport Europe (UK), BeIn Sports (USA)
Live Stream: BT Connect (UK)
Form Lines
Last five domestic results:
| Udinese 0-4 Juventus | Napoli 3-1 Sassuolo |
| Juventus 1-0 AS Roma | Sampdoria 2-4 Napoli |
| Chievo 0-4 Juventus | Napoli 5-1 Empoli |
| Juventus 1-0 Genoa | Lazio 0-2 Napoli |
| Frosinone 0-2 Juventus | Napoli 1-0 Carpi |
Probable Formations

Juventus (3-5-2): Gigi Buffon; Daniele Rugani, Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli; Stephan Lichtsteiner, Stefano Sturaro, Claudio Marchisio, Paul Pogba, Alex Sandro; Alvaro Morata, Paulo Dybala
Unavailable: Giorgio Chiellini, Mario Mandzukic, Kwadwo Asamoah, Martin Caceres and Rubinho (all injured)
Napoli: (4-3-3): Pepe Reina; Elseid Hysaj, Raul Albiol, Kalidou Koulibaly, Faouzi Ghoulam; Allan, Jorginho, Marek Hamsik; Jose Callejon, Gonzalo Higuain, Lorenzo Insigne
Unavailable: None

Player to Watch
While both teams are clearly in form, nobody is playing at a higher level than Gonzalo Higuain. The Argentinian striker has now netted 24 goals in 24 league matches, sitting just three goals behind his career-high for a single season and almost certain to be Serie A’s top scorer at the end of the campaign.
He is already nine clear of nearest challenger—Juve’s Paulo Dybala—and has found the net more often than even the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez to be Europe’s leading striker.
Higuain gave his side the crucial breakthrough in a tough clash with Carpi last weekend and has shrugged off his reputation for not delivering on the biggest stage by scoring against Fiorentina, Inter, AS Roma and in the first meeting with the Bianconeri back in September.
“I have confidence thanks to the coach, my teammates and the club,” he told Sky Italia (h/t ESPN FC). “Sarri has a lot to do with my form, a lot. I thank him and just want to maintain this form.”

Key Battle
While keeping Higuain in check will be a tough task for Juve’s injury-hit defence, this match could well be won and lost in midfield, where playmakers Jorginho and Claudio Marchisio will go head-to-head.
The latter has once again been crucial for the Bianconeri, blending superb tactical acumen with a vastly improved range of passing. According to statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com, Marchisio has averaged 2.3 tackles and 2.9 interceptions per game while completing 89.6 percent of his 65 pass attempts.

Meanwhile, Jorginho has been another player to make a giant leap under Sarri’s guidance, with the same source showing no player in Europe’s top five leagues has made more passes per game than his average of 99.1.
He has weighed in with five assists in all competitions, but his ability to keep Napoli’s possession-based game ticking over, and whoever comes out on top between Jorginho and Marchisio, could decide this tie.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Away win: 11-4
Home win: 51-50
Draw: 59-25

.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)


