Napoli vs AC Milan prediction: ITALY: Serie A betting tips on match 2023-04-01 18:45.
With Napoli and AC Milan drawn to square-off in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) quarter-finals, these two sides are about to become familiar with each other as this Serie A (SA) clash is the first of three H2H meetings over 17 days. A club-record 71 points from their first 27 SA games has given the hosts an almost insurmountable 19-point lead atop of the table, prompting talks of Napoli being âchampions-electâ. Coach Luciano Spalletti has been the architect of this campaign and he wants to officially secure the title first before working on his contract renewal, although club president Aurelio De Laurentiis announced his confidence by stating âSpalletti will stay in Naples.â
Only Lazio were able to crack Napoliâs code across their last 11 SA home games (W10, L1), so a return to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona only reinforces their credentials in this match. Even with such a formidable home record Napoli need to be on guard considering theyâve lost the last two top-flight home H2Hs, only losing more consecutive home league games against Milan between 1948 and 1951.
That may be a positive piece of news for Milan to cling onto, as their Scudetto triumph last season is now no more than a distant memory. Theyâve endured an even steeper decline over their last 11 league matches (W3, D3, L5), which not only dumped them out of the title race, but also put at risk their participation in next seasonâs UCL.
Manager Stefano Pioli tried to boost morale by stating ânobody is perfect or unbeatableâ as he plots avenging a 2-1 loss in the reverse fixture, but his biggest hurdle looks to be his sideâs wretched away form, with the Rossoneri losing four of their last five SA road trips (W1). Ten goals conceded during those defeats is a stark reminder of their defensive frailties as only relegation-battling Cremonese have conceded more goals than Milan (16) in their nine SA games preceding this round.
Players to watch: Three times the winner of the SA player of the month award this season, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been a key cog in the Napoli team, with each of his 13 scoring club appearances this term resulting in a win. Milan could look to Olivier Giroud for inspiration, with the veteran scoring in his last two SA matches against Napoli, each time netting their only strike.
Hot streak: The home team on the day hasnât led at half-time in ten straight SA H2Hs (HT: D7, L3).