Frosinone vs Napoli prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2023-08-18 16:30.
Frosinone’s first Serie A (SA) game in more than four years is almost here, and it doesn’t get much tougher than the visit of reigning champions Napoli. After guiding the Canaries to promotion, Fabio Grosso opted to resign in June, with former Roma and Sassuolo boss Eusebio Di Francesco taking his place. With a wealth of top-flight managerial experience under his belt, Di Francesco’s could prove invaluable this season, but his record against Napoli isn’t particularly good, winning just twice in his 13 previous managerial meetings with the Partenopei (D4, L7).
That could well change at Stadio Benito Stirpe, as Frosinone turned it into something of a fortress on their way to sweeping to the Serie B title last season, winning 14 of their 19 home league encounters (D3, L2). They’ll again need home turf to be a tough venue for opposing teams this season, starting here against a Napoli side they haven’t beaten in nine H2Hs (D2, L7).
Like Frosinone, Napoli also experienced a change in the dugout over the summer as Luciano Spalletti stepped aside and another ex-Roma manager, Rudi Garcia, was drafted in. It’s safe to say that the transfer activity at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona has hinted at evolution rather than revolution, but keeping hold of last season’s star duo Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen has been a huge boost heading into the new campaign, especially in the context of key defender Kim Min-jae’s departure to Bayern Munich.
Napoli are traditionally strong starters in August, having won their SA season opener in each of the last six campaigns. And there are positive omens too for Garcia, who has never lost in five previous touchline battles with Di Francesco (W2, D3).
Players to watch: After Frosinone’s leading marksman in 2022/23, Samuele Mulattieri, left for Sassuolo, much will be expected of Giuseppe Caso, who netted nine goals in last season’s promotion campaign, seven of which came after half-time. Osimhen, meanwhile, needs no introduction, proving majestic in Napoli’s first Scudetto triumph in 33 years, scoring 26 times to finish as SA’s top scorer.
Hot stat: Napoli won every one of the 13 matches in which Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored in 2022/23.