Giorgio Chiellini: Juventus Win vs. Napoli Would Be 'Definitive Knockout'

Juventus captain Giorgio Chiellini believes a win for the Bianconeri over Napoli on Sunday would seal the Serie A title.

A victory at the Stadio San Paolo would leave Juve 16 points clear of the Partenopei with 12 matches remaining, putting the Turin outfit on the verge of an eighth consecutive league title.

"A win at the San Paolo would be a definitive knockout for the Azzurri," Chiellini told Sky Sport Italia (h/t AS).

He added:

"It'll be a great game against Napoli. They've made us sweat in the last few years. 

"We have to give a little thought to Atletico [Madrid in the Champions League on March 12] every day, but we'll focus on that challenge after the next matches. We want to conclude the league and show that the gap at the top is right."

Napoli have been Juve's closest challenger in recent years. Last season, they pushed the Bianconeri all the way and finished on 91 points but still fell four short of their opponents' final total.

The gap this season could scarcely have been higher despite the fact that the Neapolitans have suffered just one defeat since September:

Carlo Ancelotti's side won't be mathematically out of the title race with a defeat on Sunday, but the prospect of Juventus letting such a position slip is virtually unthinkable.

Even if Napoli win, they would still be 10 points behind Juventus, and that would remain an unrealistic deficit to make up.

As much as a win, Bleacher Report's Gianni Verschueren will be hoping for a more convincing performance from Juventus:

Juve haven't been overly inspiring in recent weeks. They scraped to a 1-0 win over Bologna in their most recent outing and lost 2-0 to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie in the match prior.

Beating Napoli on Sunday will allow Juve to dedicate themselves fully to their Champions League efforts, and convincing performances against them and Udinese on March 8 would be the ideal preparation for what will be a tough match against Atletico.