Fiorentina vs Napoli

Stadio Artemio Franchi is the venue as Fiorentina and Napoli go head-to-head in a mammoth Serie A showdown.

A tepid scoreless draw against fellow Tuscan rivals Empoli last time out has cast a shadow on Fiorentina’s two-match unbeaten start to the new Serie A season (W1, D1). Yet, ‘La Viola’ came out 2-1 aggregate winners in their Europa Conference League playoff tie against Dutch side Twente to secure European competition proper for the first time since the 2016/17 Europa League campaign. With their spirits bolstered, Vincenzo Italiano’s side could make a three-game undefeated start to a new top-flight season for the first time since 2013/14. However, in order to achieve that feat, Fiorentina will have to arrest an underwhelming run of three consecutive Serie A home losses to Napoli. Having returned seven clean sheets from their last 11 league outings at Franchi, Italiano’s side will show up in a confident mood.

On the other hand, visiting Napoli have looked unfazed by the high-profile summer departures of Dries Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne, and Kalidou Koulibaly in an opening couple of rounds. Led by new talismanic forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Luciano Spalletti’s men have thumped Hellas Verona and Monza, 5-2 and 4-0, respectively, to welcome this matchday at the top of the tree. History beckons for Napoli as they look to win their inaugural three matches of a new Serie A campaign for the third year running, which would be an unprecedented feat in the club’s top-flight history. However, after succumbing to a 3-2 defeat in their most recent Serie A meeting with Fiorentina, ‘I Partenopei’ are facing the risk of losing back-to-back top-flight H2Hs for the first time since 1997.