The Partenopei enter the contest in second place with 66 points in the bag, with their sights set on a victory that will keep their dwindling title hopes alive. Lazio, for its part, started the weekend in ninth position with 44 points.
Naples vs Lazio | Where to watch, stats, lineups and predictions
The 22-point difference between the two rivals may seem surprising at first, but to some extent it is justified by the gulf in quality between the two clubs when comparing them department by department.
Advertisement
Combined XI Napoli and Lazio (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper: Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (Naples)
While he hasn’t achieved the stardom of his older brother and Lazio legend Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Vanja has been one of the most reliable goalkeepers in Serie A in recent years and finally earned the opportunity to play for a top club.
The Serbian managed to establish himself as a regular starter at the expense of Alex Meret, and his superb performances over the years give him a slight advantage over Ivan Provedel, although the latter was enjoying a solid campaign before his season-ending injury.
Right back: Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Naples)
Even if he is broke, the Napoli captain remains his club’s only natural choice for the right-back position, and is comfortably above Lazio’s current options: Adam Marusic, Manuel Lazzari and Elseid Hysaj.
Advertisement
Right centre-back: Mario Gila (Lazio)
Between his exquisite distribution at the back and his ferocious tackling, it is difficult to find a more complete central defender than Mario Gila in the Italian top flight. The Spaniard surpasses Amir Rrahmani and Sam Beukema, who is going through a difficult first campaign in Naples.
Left center: Alessio Romagnoli (Lazio)
While Napoli have outperformed Lazio in almost every metric, the capital team has surprisingly conceded fewer goals than Antonio Conte’s men in the first 32 rounds of the Serie A campaign (30 to 31), and Alessio Romagnoli deserves much of the credit. The calm and collected Italian is favored over Juan Jesús and Alessandro Buongiorno.
Advertisement
Left back: Leonardo Spinazzola (Naples)
With Luca Pellegrini and Nuno Tavares putting in inconsistent performances this season, the left-back spot has been a headache for Maurizio Sarri. On the other hand, Conte has more compelling options in Mathias Olivera, Miguel Guttierez and Leonardo Spinazzola.
Despite being the oldest, the Italian international is the pick of the group thanks to the constant threat he represents when advancing and the discipline he shows when retreating.
Right central midfielder: Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Napoli)
Toma Basic has seen a huge resurgence this season, while Kenneth Taylor has been Lazio’s undisputed best starter this season. However, Zambo Anguissa is one of the best midfielders in Serie A, if not the best. The Cameroonian has been unlucky with injuries this season, but played a key role in Napoli’s third and fourth Scudetto triumphs.
Advertisement
Deep playmaker: Stanislav Lobotka (Napoli)
The Slovenian has been the cornerstone of the Partenopei’s starting eleven in recent years. His vision and distribution have been vital for the team. Nicola Rovella has the potential to reach this level, but in the meantime, Lobotka remains the clear choice.
Left central midfielder: Scott McTominay (Napoli)
Perhaps the most obvious option on the list. The Scot was the Serie A MVP last season and has been Napoli’s most reliable star in what has been a challenging, injury-plagued campaign.
Right winger: Kevin De Bruyne (Naples)
The Belgian is one of the best players of his generation, so his inclusion remains essential, even if it is in a less familiar role. De Bruyne may not be an outright winger, but he still has enough quality and style to keep Matteo Politano, David Neres, Gustav Isaksen and Matteo Cancellieri out of the lineup.
Advertisement
Forward: Rasmus Hojlund (Naples)
The former Manchester United player has 10 goals in Serie A this season. On the contrary, Boualye Dia, Daniel Maldini, Tijjani Noslin and Petar Ratkov have five combined.
Left winger: Alisson Santos (Naples)
Alisson has been a breath of fresh air since his arrival in January. His impeccable dribbling skills and shooting accuracy make him an absolute nightmare for opposing defenders (something Lazzari should experience on Saturday). Thus, the Brazilian gets the nod over Mattia Zaccagni, who has not shown his best level all season.