Napoli vs Inter Milan predictions: Serie A betting tips
Napoli vs Inter Milan betting tips
Napoli’s Scudetto defence has yet to get going this season and their title credentials face a tough examination on Sunday when current Serie A leaders Inter Milan come to town (TNT Sports 2, 7.45pm).
The Partenopei celebrated their first title in 33 years last season but lost coach Luciano Spalletti, a host of backroom staff members and key defender Kim Min-jae in the off-season.
Spalletti’s replacement, Rudi Garcia, couldn’t manage to pick up the pieces and was recently relieved of his duties with Walter Mazzarri, who managed Napoli from 2009-13 previously, now back in charge.
Mazzarri needed to make an immediate impact with fourth-placed Napoli falling behind in the title race and won at Atalanta last week to close the gap to Inter to eight points.
They now have a golden opportunity to take another chunk out of Inter’s lead at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, where the Nerazzuri have won once on their last 17 league visits.
However, football betting sites make the visitors marginal favourites, and with good reason.
Inter were able to rest several of their big guns for the midweek Champions League clash with Benfica on the same night as Napoli were having their defensive flaws exposed by Real Madrid.
Simone Inzaghi’s returning stars may tip the balance of this fixture the way of the league leaders as we deliver our Napoli vs Inter Milan predictions.
Inter eye rare Naples success
Both sides were involved in six-goal thrillers in the Champions League, with Inter fighting back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with Benfica.
Napoli, meanwhile, came up short of taking a point away from the Bernabeu as Real Madrid struck twice late on to secure a 4-2 win.
In truth, Mazzarri’s men were fortunate to have held out for so long with Real wasteful in front of goal in the second half and the new Napoli boss will need to get a better balance to his side when they host Inter.
Inter’s midweek result made a mockery of their status as Serie A’s best defensive side, but that can be explained away by the eight changes Inzaghi made from the 1-1 draw with Juventus last weekend.
The likes of Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram, Denzel Dumfries, Hakan Calhanoglu and Nicolo Barella were either left at home or benched for the trip to Portugal, but will all be back in the line-up come Sunday.
Inter should therefore look more like the team that’s won 10 of its first 13 matches in Serie A to open up a two-point lead in the standings.
Inzaghi’s team are unbeaten away from home in all competitions this season, keeping five clean sheets in nine games, while they second only to Napoli for points collected (16) and goals scored (13) on the road in Serie A.
Napoli’s defence looks shaky without injured duo Mario Rui and Matias Olivera, while questions remain over how fit star striker Victor Osimhen is.
The Nigerian played the second half of the defeat to Real – his longest spell of action for Napoli since the start of October – and the Neapolitans will be very tempted to start him against Inter.
A fully fit Osimhen, coupled with the trickery of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will ask questions of Inter’s defence and that is part of the reason why we’re only backing the league leaders in the draw no bet market, rather than to win outright on betting sites.
The other reason is Inter’s dreadful record at Napoli. But this is a Napoli team that’s winless in five at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in all competitions and has lost three times at home in Serie A already this season.
If Empoli, Fiorentina and Lazio can win at Napoli, why not Inter?
Watch out for road warrior Martinez
Martinez scored his 13th league goal of the season in last week’s draw with Juventus, moving him six goals clear of the chasing pack in Serie A’s golden boot race.
The Argentina international then played a bit part role from the bench in Wednesday's draw with Benfica, so should be fit and raring to go in Naples.
Martinez has scored four times against Napoli in his career and is the standout goalscoring option on new betting sites for this game.
The 26-year-old has enjoyed Inter’s recent away days, scoring nine of his last 10 goals in all competitions on the road.
Martinez has scored 15 times for Inter this season from just 23 shots on target and is a real threat to an undermanned Napoli defence that’s managed one home clean sheet all season.
Having been let off the hook by Real’s strikeforce, Martinez is unlikely to be so kind to Napoli if he gets the same kind of opportunities and is 7/4 to score any time on Sunday with bet365.
Thuram may terrorise Napoli defence
Napoli started the season reasonably well defensively, giving way minimal opportunities. But they’ve become more and more open as the campaign has progressed, their opponents hitting double figures for shots on goal in nine of the last 10 games.
Real Madrid hit the target nine times on Wednesday and Mazzarri’s men may have a hard time containing not just Martinez, but Marcus Thuram too.
The France international has been one of the signings of the season in Serie A following his summer switch from Borussia Monchengladbach, registering five goals and six assists for Inter so far.
He was a thorn in the side of Juventus’ well-drilled defence last week, putting in the cross for Martinez’s goal and registering two shots on target. We’re backing him to test goalkeeper Alex Meret at least once with our final Napoli vs Inter Milan prediction.
Thuram has managed at least one shot on target in eight of his last 11 Serie A games and may be catching this Napoli defence at a good time.
Chris is an experienced sports betting writer who has worked with most major bookmakers and national media outlets, such as Racing Post and ITN. He covers a wide range of sports with his favourites being NFL, rugby, football and Formula 1.
