A top team in the title race against a club fighting for survival, Serie A reaches its halfway point at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona when third-placed Napoli host struggling Verona on Wednesday in Matchday 19. Conte’s team is on 37 points, just one behind Milan in a three-way battle with Inter, while Zanetti’s team is deep in the relegation zone with 12 points. Verona fans are banned from buying tickets, so the stage is set for an intense, probably very blue atmosphere. Napoli comes into the game on the back of a controlled 2-0 win at Lazio and four wins from its last five Serie A games, living up to expectations in the title race despite missing Anguissa, De Bruyne, Gilmour, Neres, and Lukaku, with Mazzocchi suspended. On the other hand, Verona’s brief upswing has flattened out again after clear defeats to Milan and Torino, with their points tally so far well below what would be needed to avoid relegation. The last two direct encounters show how volatile this duel can be, with a 3-0 win for Verona at the Bentegodi and a 2-0 win for Napoli at the Maradona.
- Venue: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples
- Date and time: January 7, 2026, 6:30 p.m.
- Competition: Serie A (matchday 19)
For our assessment, the value lies more in a controlled, low-scoring home game. Conte’s team is coming off a 2-0 win at Lazio and a streak without conceding a goal, with games often decided before halftime. The injury-related absences on both sides and Verona’s toothless performance, coming off a 3-0 defeat to Torino, further support the scenarios of Under 2.5, Both Teams to Score: No, and Napoli ahead at halftime.
Napoli Form & Record Check
Napoli go into this clash with Verona in convincing form in Serie A. The southern Italians are third in the league with 37 points, one point behind Milan and four ahead of Juventus, part of a tight top three with Inter. Since their 1-0 defeat at Udinese, which once again raised doubts about their consistency away from home, they have followed up with 2-0 wins at Cremonese and Lazio, both of which were more businesslike than spectacular. In all competitions, Napoli have won four and lost one of their last five games, with back-to-back 2-0 Super Cup victories over Milan and Bologna bringing another title and showcasing the pragmatic side of this team. The 2-0 win at Lazio told the same story, with an early strike from Spinazzola and Rrahmani, after which Napoli sat back a little, surviving a shot against the post and late pressure from the Romans.
The statistical pattern of this phase is clear: Napoli led at halftime in four of their last five games and did not concede a goal before the break. Each of these games ended with a maximum of two goals in total, and all victories came with a 2-0 score. One might think that Conte is deliberately focusing on control and defensive stability rather than going for high scores. Especially considering the personnel situation, this series is slightly above expectations, with Lukaku, Anguissa, De Bruyne, Gilmour, Beukema, and Neres out, and Mazzocchi suspended after his red card in Rome. Nevertheless, Politano, Spinazzola, and Rrahmani decided the game in Lazio, McTominay and Lobotka provide balance in midfield, and Højlund is a reliable vertical passing option with six goals in Serie A. The open question regarding Inter and Europe remains whether this rather conservative version of Napoli will be enough. Previous away defeats in the league and Champions League have shown that the defense works but rarely dominates. For a reigning champion facing a more broadly staffed Inter, tight control over longer periods would have to translate into even more pressure.
At Napoli, Conte is likely to stick with his now familiar 3-4-2-1 system. Our predicted starting lineup sees Milinković-Savić in goal, with a back three of Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, and Buongiorno in front of him. Politano and Spinazzola are expected to provide width again and act as attacking full-backs, while McTominay and Lobotka are responsible for cover and the initial build-up play. Elmas and Lang would play between the lines, behind the in-form center forward Højlund. This predicted formation is marked by injury concerns, with Anguissa, De Bruyne, Gilmour, and Neres still unavailable. Lukaku is also likely to remain sidelined, which means even more responsibility will fall on McTominay, Lobotka, and Elmas in midfield, and the attacking depth will be less than usual. Beukema is unavailable in defense, which solidifies the roles of Rrahmani and Buongiorno as starters, while suspended full-back Mazzocchi is likely to be replaced in the matchday squad by Olivera or Gutiérrez.
Verona Form & Record Check
Verona travels to Naples in fragile league form, with the team sitting in 18th place in the table with 12 points and a goal difference of minus 15, three points behind Genoa and level on points with Fiorentina and Pisa in the relegation battle. In their last five Serie A games, they have recorded two wins and three clear defeats, with the momentum from their victories against Atalanta and Fiorentina being wiped out by consecutive 3-0 defeats at Milan and at home to Torino. Defensively, a clear pattern is emerging, with Verona conceding goals in each of their last five league games and in every second half, with all of these matches ending with at least three goals in total. After the break, Zanetti’s team struggles to control the game, often falling behind and opening up space. The 3-0 defeat to Torino was emblematic, with a weak back pass from Bernede to Nelsson punished by former Verona striker Simeone, followed by counterattacks finished off by Casadei and Njie.
Zanetti’s personnel options are shaping these problems. In defense, he rotates Nelsson, Núñez, and Valentini in front of goalkeeper Montipò, while Frese and Bradarić bring more forward momentum than stability on the wings. In midfield, Gagliardini, Niasse, and Al-Musrati provide a lot of physicality but little creativity, and the injuries to Akpa Akpro and Suslov, as well as the absence of Belghali, further reduce the support for Giovane, Orban, Sarr, and Mosquera in attack. Interestingly, Verona has only outperformed expectations in phases so far, such as in the aggressive victories against Atalanta and Fiorentina, which suggested that a place in the middle of the table was possible. However, looking at the season as a whole, the twelve points before the halfway point and the many clear defeats are clearly below the expectations of a team that really only wanted to stay out of the relegation zone.
Verona are also expected to line up in a familiar 3-4-2-1 system under Zanetti. In our predicted starting eleven, Montipò is in goal, with a central defensive trio of Núñez, Nelsson, and Bella-Kotchap in front of him, and Oyegoke and Frese operating as wingbacks on the flanks. In midfield, Serdar and Al-Musrati will provide balance, while Giovane and Bernede will play behind Mosquera, who will start as the lone striker. This is still a prediction and not an official lineup; Zanetti could still adjust the roles between the lines. With Belghali away on international duty and Akpa Akpro and Suslov unavailable, Verona are without three important options for the wings and center. In our scenario, Harroui, Gagliardini, and Orban are the main alternatives from the bench, although late fitness issues or tactical considerations could still change this picture.
Napoli – Verona Head-to-head & statistics
In a direct comparison, Napoli has the upper hand in the last five Serie A encounters between 2023 and January 2025, with three wins to Verona’s one win and one draw. Napoli are unbeaten at home during this period, with two wins and one draw, conceding only one goal in the process. Verona’s only win during this phase was a clear 3-0 home victory in 2024. In terms of goals, these matches have been mostly open but not wild, with four of the five games ending with at least two goals and only one game seeing more than three goals, the exception being Napoli’s 3-1 away win in 2023. The only goalless encounter also dates back to 2023. Overall, the recent record suggests controlled but productive games.
A recurring theme is cautious first halves. In these five matches, Verona did not score before the break, and Napoli has not conceded a goal in this early phase. In four games, the first half saw fewer than two goals in total, suggesting that the momentum often changes after the break when spaces open up and the structure becomes a little looser. Looking ahead to the next meeting, this pattern could shape both approaches. The results suggest that Napoli often finds itself in a better position, especially once the game settles down, and its home record in this series is very strong. Verona will likely feel they need a sharper start, as their only win came in a game where they were more determined throughout the full 90 minutes.
