Serie A Preview: Sassuolo vs Napoli – Team News, Line-ups & Prediction | OneFootball

Sassuolo face the toughest possible start to their Serie A return, entertaining reigning champions Napoli on the opening weekend. Mapei Stadium forms the backdrop for Saturday’s ‘David vs Goliath’ clash.

Fabio Grosso helped Sassuolo bounce back at the first attempt, lifting the Serie B title last season in dominant fashion. Indeed, the Neroverdi won an eye-catching 82 points, six more than second-placed Pisa. As a result, they return to Serie A after only one season away.

Mapei was a fortress in 2024/25, with Sassuolo winning more home points (44) than any other side in the second tier. Their home form could once again be crucial if they are to avoid an immediate relegation. Fans would appreciate a strong start, yet the opposition can hardly be more formidable.

Despite being given minimal chances for success, Napoli defied the odds to win their fourth Scudetto last term. Antonio Conte returned to Italian football with vengeance to inspire the Partenopei to their second league title in three years, helping them reclaim the throne after a calamitous 10th-place finish in 2023/24.

Reluctant to rest on their laurels, Napoli have been among the most active Serie A clubs in the transfer window. Kevin De Bruyne’s signing headlines the list of arrivals as Conte’s men bid to become the first side to retain the title in five years.

Match Preview

Sassuolo

With 38 goals conceded, Sassuolo boasted the third-meanest defense in Serie B last season. However, they finished the campaign on a disappointing run of five league matches without a clean sheet (W2, D1, L2). Grosso’s team will be keen to buck that trend in their first meeting with Napoli since an embarrassing 6-1 loss at this stadium in February 2023.

Ominously, that loss forms part of Sassuolo’s disastrous record against the Partenopei in Serie A. They have only won two of their 22 previous encounters against the Naples outfit (D7, L13), losing their last five on the trot – each by at least a two-goal margin.

The arrivals of Fani Cande and Jay Idzes from relegated Venezia should help shore up Sassuolo’s defensive leaks. A solid defense could prove crucial if Grosso’s charges hope to improve on their dismal opening-day record in Serie A since 2019/20 (W1, L4).

Napoli

As aforementioned, Napoli achieved the unthinkable in Conte’s first season in charge, largely thanks to their rock-solid backline. The Partenopei boasted the best defensive record in Europe’s traditional top-five leagues last season, racking up an impressive 19 clean sheets in Serie A.

However, scoring wasn’t Napoli’s strong suit. In fact, they scored more than one goal in only one of their last eight away league matches. The arrivals of Lorenzo Lucca, Noa Lang, and De Bruyne should inject firepower into Conte’s attack and help the Partenopei convert more chances this term.

Napoli started last season with a disastrous 3-0 defeat at Hellas Verona but went on to lose just one more away game across the campaign on their way to lifting a fourth Scudetto. Most of those fixtures were low-scoring, and with their last five away league outings featuring under 2.5 goals, another tight contest is a realistic possibility.

Team News

Summer signings Stefano Turati, Alieu Fadera, Ismael Kone, and Sebastian Walukiewicz will all likely feature in the starting XI. The same applies to the new defenders, Cande and Idzes. All eyes will be on last season’s standout performer, Armand Lauriente, who scored 18 goals in Serie B.

As for Napoli, marquee defensive arrival Sam Beukema will probably slot alongside Amir Rrahmani at the heart of Conte’s backline. De Bruyne may be the only remaining newcomer to be part of the starting line-up. However, with Romelu Lukaku injured, Lucca will spearhead the attack in the opening game.

Sassuolo vs Napoli Potential Starting Line-ups

Sassuolo (4-3-3): Turati; Walukiewicz, Cande, Idzes, Doig; Ghion, Boloca, Kone; Berardi, Pinamonti, Lauriente.

Napoli (4-2-3-1): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Beukema, Olivera; Lobotka, Anguissa; Politano, De Bruyne, McTominay; Lucca.

Sassuolo vs Napoli Prediction

Even though the odds remain firmly stacked against the home side, Napoli should get their title-defending campaign off to a winning start. However, this may not necessarily be a straightforward task for the reigning title holders.

Sassuolo can be a tricky opponent at the Mapei Stadium. Grosso’s men are capable of finding the net against any opposition, yet Napoli should have enough firepower to take three points.