Preview: Genoa vs. Napoli - prediction, team news, lineups

After an opening-day victory in difficult circumstances, Napoli meet Genoa in their second game of the Serie A season - seeking another win before the international break.

While Luciano Spalletti's side were able to overcome an early red card to beat Venezia last week, their hosts were thumped by defending champions Inter Milan at San Siro.

Match preview

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When star striker Victor Osimhen was sent off in the opening stages of Napoli's first game of the 2021-22 campaign, it seemed as though hopes of a positive start under new management would be thwarted by promoted Venezia.

After Lorenzo Insigne then missed a penalty, new boss Luciano Spalletti would have been cursing his luck, but the Partenopei battled on to secure a 2-0 win by the final whistle - with Insigne putting things right from the spot before Eljif Elmas made the three points safe.

Though popular coach Gennaro Gattuso may have left Naples earlier this summer, most of the Azzurri's main men remain in Campania, and Spalletti has now led his new side to seven straight wins including pre-season friendlies.

They have certainly maintained their attacking momentum of last term, as Napoli have scored in 27 league games in succession - already a club record - and in the history of Serie A, only Juventus and AC Milan have netted in at least 28 consecutive outings.

Presented with the opportunity to match that record on Sunday, they are also one of only three teams in the top five European leagues to have scored in every match this calendar year - along with Bundesliga pair Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.

Despite their penalty-box prowess, Napoli failed to make it into the Champions League at the end of last season, and this week's Europa League draw sees them matched with Leicester City, Spartak Moscow and Legia Warsaw in a potentially challenging Group C. Their first group stage fixture will come shortly after the upcoming international period, but first they must take care of domestic matters this weekend.

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In contrast to their visitors to Marassi this week, Genoa folded like a pack of cards under pressure in their opening assignment of the new league season.

Two goals down within 14 minutes against Inter last Saturday, the Grifone were fortunate to escape with only a four-goal beating by the Scudetto holders, as they were outfought and out-thought in every department.

Having played his part in keeping them up last season after they had sunk towards the foot of the table before Christmas, head coach Davide Ballardini is under much scrutiny as he continues his fourth spell in charge at the Ligurian outfit. Perhaps significantly, he has never lasted more than 40 games at any one club, and has now overseen 28 since his appointment last December.

The former Palermo boss was in charge as Genoa won their last meeting with Napoli, back in February, ending a 17-game winless run against their southern counterparts in Serie A.

That game was decided by a brace from veteran striker Goran Pandev, who still carries most of the attacking burden for his club at the age of 38 - particularly after the loss of Eldor Shomurodov and Gianluca Scamacca during the off-season.

Former Leeds forward Caleb Ekuban has been brought in from Trabzonspor to lighten his load, though, and will hope to make his first Serie A start on Sunday.

Team News

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Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti will have to deal with several problems arising from their first-day defeat of Venezia this weekend, as Victor Osimhen must serve a suspension and both Piotr Zielinski and Dries Mertens are sidelined by injury.

The latter pair join Diego Demme and Faouzi Ghoulam in the treatment room, as opportunities open up for others in their absence.

More usually a wide man, Hirving Lozano is tipped to cover Osimhen's role in the centre of the forward line, while Zielinski's unavailability allows Eljif Elmas a chance to shine, following his goal as a substitute last time out.

Spalletti will hope to have his absentees back in harness for the arrival of Juventus in Naples - plus the Europa League's kickoff - just after the international break, but it will be an improvised lineup that takes the field at Marassi.

Genoa, on the other hand, are virtually free of injury - back-up midfielder Francesco Cassata aside - and both Valon Behrami and Mattia Bani are back from suspension.

Davide Ballardini is expected to make some changes though, with young Flavio Bianchi poised to take the place of Yahya Kallon, who lacked a little composure when presented with some decent chances in Milan.

Andrea Favilli and Caleb Ekuban offer other alternatives to partner Goran Pandev in attack, as the hosts set up in a familiar 3-5-2 formation.

Genoa possible starting lineup:
Sirigu; Biraschi, Vanheusden, Criscito; Sabelli, Sturaro, Badelj, Hernani, Cambiaso; Pandev, Bianchi

Napoli possible starting lineup:
Meret; Di Lorenzo, Manolas, Koulibaly, Rui; Elmas, Lobotka, Ruiz; Politano, Insigne, Lozano

We say: Genoa 0-2 Napoli

Genoa look like a side set to struggle for goals this term, while Napoli are their exact opposite - even without some of their top attacking stars.

The visitors should dominate both the ball and the scoreboard on Sunday, with victory set to send their multinational squad off to the four corners of the globe having sealed maximum points from the first two rounds.