Inter Milan travels to crisis-stricken SSC Napoli with seven wins in a row, where Antonio Conte conceded six goals for the first time as coach after the 2-6 debacle in Eindhoven and now wants to respond with tough measures. Both teams are level on 15 points, with Inter in second place and Napoli in third, just one point behind leaders AC Milan. Their form could hardly be more different: while Inter recently knocked Union Saint-Gilloise out of the Champions League with a 4-0 win, Napoli are in deep crisis after their 1-0 defeat to Torino and the debacle at PSV. The recent record also favors the Nerazzurri, who have won two and drawn three of their last five head-to-head matches, while Napoli have been winless since December 2023. With Inter’s defensive stability and Napoli’s offensive problems due to the absence of Romelu Lukaku, everything points to a low-scoring game, with a 0-1 or 1-2 win for the visitors seeming realistic.
- Venue: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples
- Date and time: 10/25/2025, 6:00 p.m.
- Competition: Serie A (Matchday 8)
The analysis supports two main bets: X2 (draw or away win for Inter) and “Both teams to score: No.” Inter are on a five-game winning streak, leading at halftime in all of those games, with Yann Sommer not conceding a single goal during that run. Offensively, the Nerazzurri have scored an average of 2.6 goals per game. Napoli, on the other hand, have conceded at least one goal in four of their last five games and lost three of those matches. Personnel problems with Lukaku out until December, Lobotka missing and McTominay not yet in top form further weaken Napoli’s offensive power. The betting market sees Inter as only slight favorites with odds of around 2.4, which makes the X2 tip attractive. A riskier tip would be for the visitors to lead at halftime, as Inter has led at halftime in all of its recent games, while Napoli has trailed at halftime in four of its five games.
Napoli Form & Record Check
Napoli are in a real form crisis after their 0-1 defeat to Juventus and the 2-6 debacle at PSV Eindhoven. It was the first time Antonio Conte’s team had conceded six goals under his management. After the game, he spoke of the need to rebuild the team with toughness and authority and admitted that he had been unusually quiet on the sidelines. The record from the last five competitive games shows two wins, including a 2-1 victory over Sporting in the Champions League and a narrow win over Genoa, but also three defeats. What is worrying is that Napoli conceded at least one goal in all five games and were often behind at half-time. Despite being in third place with 15 points, level with Inter and just one point behind Milan, the mood is tense. Personnel problems are exacerbating the situation: Romelu Lukaku is still out with a thigh injury, Stanislav Lobotka has adductor problems and Rasmus Højlund is injured. Scott McTominay has returned, but the integration of the nine new signings from the summer is not yet complete.
Antonio Conte is likely to stick with his usual 3-4-2-1 formation against Inter. Meret will be in goal, with Beukema, Buongiorno, and Juan Jesus forming the back three. Di Lorenzo and Spinazzola will provide width on the flanks, while Anguissa and Gilmour are expected to start in central midfield. Lucca is expected to start up front, as Højlund is doubtful and Lukaku is out with a thigh injury. De Bruyne and Lang could provide attacking impetus behind him. McTominay could be available as an option off the bench after recovering from injury. Lobotka remains sidelined with an adductor injury.
Inter Form & Record Check
Inter Milan are in top form with five consecutive wins in Serie A and the Champions League, with the team leading at halftime in all games and winning in the end. The Nerazzurri are level on points with Napoli in second place, one point behind AC Milan. The combination of attacking power and defensive stability is impressive, with creative impulses from Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Nicolo Barella, and Lautaro Martínez, while the defense around Alessandro Bastoni, Teden Mengi, Bisseck, and Stefan de Vrij is solid. Ange-Yoan Bonny is emerging as the discovery of the season: the 21-year-old Frenchman has scored three goals and provided three assists in seven Serie A appearances, more than compensating for Marcus Thuram’s injury with his good running, timing, and presence in the penalty area. Matteo Darmian is out with calf problems, but the squad offers plenty of alternatives. Cristian Chivu can continue to rely on a balance between creativity in midfield and a stable defense. As long as Inter maintains its consistency in the early stages and the defense remains compact, the team is a serious title contender.
Inter are likely to line up in their usual 3-5-2 formation. Cristian Chivu is expected to field Bisseck, de Vrij, and Bastoni in defense, as Darmian remains sidelined with calf problems. Barella, Çalhanoğlu, and Mkhitaryan will form the midfield trio, while Dumfries and Dimarco will operate on the flanks. The situation up front remains exciting: with Thuram still out, Bonny could start alongside Lautaro Martínez again. The 21-year-old Bonny scored after six minutes in the first leg against Roma and has already collected three goals and three assists in his first seven Serie A games, meaning he is currently involved in more Inter goals than any other player. Frattesi, Zieliński, and Acerbi, among others, are on the bench, ready to come on if Chivu needs to make adjustments during the game.
Napoli – Inter Head-to-Head & Statistics
The record of the last five head-to-head matches clearly favors Inter: no wins for Napoli, two wins for Inter, and three draws. Inter scored at least one goal in all five games, while Napoli conceded at least one goal each time. The encounters were mostly low-scoring, with three consecutive games seeing a maximum of one goal at halftime, and all five games remaining under 3.5 goals. The last three matches ended 1-1, in March 2025 in Naples, in November 2024 in Milan, and in March 2024. Inter also won the Supercoppa final 1-0 in January 2024 and won 3-0 in Naples in December 2023. Since that 3-0 win, Napoli have been winless in this fixture, which could give Inter extra confidence, while Napoli are under pressure to end this negative run.
