Lazio vs Napoli 12/01/20

12 January 2020

In-form Lazio welcome out-of-sorts Napoli to the Stadio Olimpico, seeking another success that could help them reduce a six-point gap on Serie A (SA) toppers Inter Milan.

The hosts will be looking to halt a disastrous six-game losing run in top-flight home H2Hs with Napoli, and they do have an impressive form to draw inspiration from. The Biancocelesti have picked up nine consecutive league triumphs in the build-up to this fixture, with five of those successes coming via the identical 2-1 scoreline. What’s more, Simone Inzaghi’s men have netted 2+ match goals in all but one of their eight SA home outings so far this season, with 14 of their total 24 SA home goals scored coming in the second half (58%). Additionally, they’ve secured six SA home victories already, with four of those wins seeing Lazio shut their opponents out. Also, Lazio tend to move through the gears in late stages of home action, having found the net inside the closing 15 minutes of play in five SA home fixtures so far.

The visitors are, meanwhile, going through one of the most severe crises in their recent history, having wrapped up only one triumph in their last ten league matches (D5, L4). Those fixtures during that ten-game sequence have not been short of entertainment though. Nine of them have seen both teams score, with six producing over 2.5 goals, including the last three. Moreover, a dismal goalless stalemate with Torino aside, each of Napoli’s remaining eight SA away fixtures have witnessed both teams hit the net, with five of them featuring three or more goals. Gennaro Gattuso’s main worry ahead of the kick-off could be Napoli’s tendency to start their away matches in ‘slow motion,’ as the Partenopei shipped the opening goal in five of nine league road trips, subsequently pulling off two comebacks though (W2, D1, L2).