MX23RW : Thursday, July 16 21:27:15| >> :120:43696:43696:
Jul 12, 2020 at 8.45pm UK at Stadio San Paolo
NapoliNapoli
2-2
AC MilanAC Milan
Di Lorenzo (34'), Mertens (60')
Di Lorenzo (10'), Rui (30')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Hernandez (20'), Kessie (73' pen.)
Hernandez (75'), Conti (77'), Saelemaekers (85')
Saelemaekers (88')

Preview: Napoli vs. AC Milan - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Serie A clash between Napoli and AC Milan, including team news and predicted lineups.

Two of Serie A's most in-form sides meet at Stadio San Paolo on Sunday evening as sixth-placed Napoli take on seventh-in-the-table AC Milan.

Napoli have won seven of their last eight league matches and are two points better off than Milan, who beat champions Juventus in midweek to maintain their European push.


Match preview

Napoli players celebrate winning the Coppa Italia on June 17, 2020© Reuters

Napoli have already ensured that 2019-20, a season that appeared to only be heading one way pre-Christmas, will go down in their history after winning the Coppa Italia last month.

Gli Azzurri have pushed on from that triumph, which assures them of a place in next season's Europa League, by taking 12 points from the last 15 on offer in the league.

Losing 2-0 to Atalanta BC last week all but killed off their top-four hopes, but they have seen off Hellas Verona, SPAL, Roma and Genoa either side of that setback.

With a 15-point gap to make up on the top four, and only seven games to go, Gennaro Gattuso's men are now battling with Roma - with whom they are level on points - for fifth place.

Milan could yet finish fifth, though, as they are now just two points behind Napoli and Roma thanks to an impressive run of form since returning to league action in June.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic in action for Milan on January 6, 2020© Reuters

Stefano Pioli, who is reportedly going to be replaced by Ralf Rangnick in the coming weeks, has guided his side to four wins and a draw in their last five matches.

That run includes an incredible 4-2 win over leaders Juventus, with the Rossoneri recovering from two goals down early in the second half to claim all three points.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was on target for the fifth time since returning to the club in January, the Swedish striker's arrival coinciding with Milan's upturn in form.

Milan are not assured of a Europa League spot just yet, though, as Sassuolo and Hellas Verona are six points behind ahead of the final run-in.

Extending that gap will be tough this weekend given that Milan have lost their last three games at Stadio San Paolo, while overall they are winless in this fixture since 2014.

Napoli's Serie A form: WWWLWW
Napoli's form (all competitions): WWWLWW

AC Milan's Serie A form: LWWDWW
AC Milan's form (all competitions): DWWDWW


Team News

Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly pictured in October 2019© Reuters

Napoli will welcome Kalidou Koulibaly and Diego Demme back from suspension this weekend and the pair are likely to slot straight back into the XI.

If that is the case Kostas Manolas and Eljif Elmas are the favourites to drop out, while Fabian Ruiz coming on for Stanislav Lobotka is another possibility.

Lorenzo Insigne seems certain to start in attack and he boasts a return of six goals in 14 league meetings with Milan - more than he has managed against any other side.

In terms of the visitors, Hakan Calhanoglu - key to Milan's upturn in form - was not fit enough to start against Juventus but should play a full part here.

Ante Rebic has been a huge hit through the middle over the last month, but Pioli must decide whether to leave the Croatian out here or partner him with Ibrahimovic again.

Indeed, Rebic is the first Milan player to score 10 goals in the second half of a league season since Carlos Bacca in 2015-16.

Napoli possible starting lineup:
Meret; Lorenzo, Maksimovic, Koulibaly, Rui; Ruiz, Demme, Zielinski; Callejon, Mertens, Insigne

AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Conti, Kjaer, Romagnoli, Hernandez; Saelemaekers, Kessie, Bennacer, Bonaventura; Calhanoglu; Ibrahimovic


Sports Mole Logo

We say: Napoli 1-0 AC Milan

Milan have been in great form since returning to action and further enhanced their top-seven credentials with their midweek victory against Juventus. However, Napoli also enter this match on a high and are unbeaten in their last 10 meetings with the Rossoneri, so we are backing them to edge this match.


ID:405973:

Who will win Sunday's Serie A clash between Napoli and AC Milan?

Napoli
Draw
AC Milan
Napoli
44.1%
Draw
18.1%
AC Milan
37.7%
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rhs 2.0
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Juventus33245470353577
2Inter Milan33218472343871
3Atalanta BCAtalanta33217593435070
4Lazio33216668353369
5Roma331761061441757
6Napoli33158105344953
7AC Milan33158104842653
8SassuoloSassuolo33138126257547
9Hellas VeronaHellas Verona331111114141044
10Bologna331110124752-543
11CagliariCagliari331011124849-141
12Parma33117154547-240
13Fiorentina33912124145-439
14Sampdoria33115174254-1238
15Torino33114184160-1937
16Udinese3399153146-1536
17Genoa3379174063-2330
18Lecce3378184174-3329
19Brescia3356223070-4021
20SPALSPAL3354242362-3919

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