Both beaten by Inter Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana, Lazio and Napoli return to Serie A duty on Sunday evening, when the southern rivals clash at Stadio Olimpico.
The two teams have taken different paths in recent weeks, with Lazio inching up the standings while the reigning champions continue to falter.
Match preview
© Reuters
Following their mid-season sojourn to Saudi Arabia, which ended with a convincing semi-final defeat to eventual winners Inter, Lazio will aim to pick up where they left off in the Italian top flight, having previously won four straight league games.
In addition to victories over Empoli, Frosinone, Udinese and Lecce - all of whom reside in the bottom half of the table - Maurizio Sarri's side overcame arch-rivals Roma in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals: hastening Jose Mourinho's dismissal and booking a semi-final tie against Juventus.
Sarri was outspoken in his disdain for the new Supercoppa format, so the ex-Chelsea coach will be glad to resume league matters back at Stadio Olimpico this weekend, when he seeks five Serie A wins on the spin for the first time as Lazio boss.
After a sluggish start to the season, there is much to look forward to for fans of the Biancocelesti, as not only have the Rome club moved into the top six, but they also have a Champions League clash with German giants Bayern Munich to prepare for, with the first leg taking place next month.
Between now and then, Lazio face fellow top-four contenders Atalanta BC and Napoli, before taking a potentially tricky trip down to Sardinia, where Cagliari can be tough to beat.
A 2-1 victory in Naples earlier this season sees Sarri now aiming for a third straight league win over his former club, who also came up short in Saudi Arabia.
© Reuters
After safely negotiating their way past Fiorentina in the Supercoppa semi-finals, Napoli were edged out by Inter in Monday's decider, after Giovanni Simeone was sent off on the hour mark and Lautaro Martinez then popped up with a stoppage-time winner.
That was the latest setback in a miserable campaign for the crestfallen Scudetto holders, who sit ninth in Serie A just after the season's halfway stage.
Champions League qualification may still be within range - and they are also involved in the knockout phase of this season's competition, where Barcelona await in the last 16 - but a significant shift in momentum is needed.
After scraping past Salernitana earlier this month, thanks to Amir Rrahmani's last-gasp goal, Napoli are now looking to win consecutive league games for the first time since September.
However, Walter Mazarri's men have lost each of their last three away matches without scoring, which has heightened the pressure on a team that continue to underperform on home soil.
Only the history books provide any solace ahead of Sunday's trip to the capital, as Napoli have remarkably won eight of their last 10 away games against Lazio in Serie A, scoring no fewer than 20 goals in the process.
Team News
© Reuters
Without two members of their first-choice attacking trident, as both Mattia Zaccagni and captain Ciro Immobile must serve suspensions, Lazio will look to Taty Castellanos and Gustav Isaksen for inspiration in the final third this weekend.
The pair should join Felipe Anderson, who has played 11 Serie A matches against Napoli without ever scoring: he has, however, provided three assists in the last three, including two in September's reverse fixture.
Spanish centre-back Patric could be absent again due to a shoulder injury, so compatriot Mario Gila may have to deputise at the heart of the hosts' back four.
Meanwhile, Napoli recently switched formation from their Scudetto-winning 4-3-3 setup to Walter Mazzarri's preferred three-man defence, but the champions' squad is now down to the bare bones.
Not only are Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Giovanni Simeone and Jens Cajuste suspended, but Frank Anguissa and last season's Capocannoniere Victor Osimhen remain on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations. In addition, goalkeeper Alex Meret and South American defensive duo Mathias Olivera and Natan are all injured.
New signings Leander Dendoncker and Cyril Ngonge could therefore be involved; since scoring his first Serie A goal against Lazio in February 2023, the latter is the youngest man to net more than 10 times in the Italian top flight.
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Provedel; Lazzari, Gila, Romagnoli, Marusic; Guendouzi, Rovella, Alberto; Isaksen, Castellanos, Anderson
Napoli possible starting lineup:
Gollini; Ostigard, Rrahmani, Jesus; Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, Zielinski, Rui; Politano, Raspadori, Ngonge
We say: Lazio 1-1 Napoli
Lazio and Napoli have not drawn any of their last 14 Serie A contests, with four wins for the Biancocelesti and 10 for their Neapolitan rivals. A first stalemate since November 2016 could be on the cards, though, as both teams are diminished by absences and may be satisfied with a point.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
