Serie A | Gameweek 36

May 11, 2025 at 7.45pm UK

Stadio Diego Armando Maradona

Napoli vs Genoa

Match preview

Showing all the grit it takes to win a league title against the odds, Napoli battled hard for a 1-0 win at Lecce last week to move six points clear at the top, only for Inter to overturn Hellas Verona a few hours later.

Giacomo Raspadori's first-half free-kick was the difference between the sides at the Via del Mare, where the visitors held on for another win and another clean sheet - their fourth in a row.

With just three games remaining, Napoli are the masters of their own destiny, with a single defeat and a perfect run from their Milanese rivals setting up a dramatic play-off for the top spot.

Despite losing key players since last summer and having his plans altered by injury, Antonio Conte has forged a side that has conceded the fewest goals (25) and kept the most clean sheets (17) in Europe's top five leagues this season.

As a result, a fourth Scudetto - and a second in three seasons - is now within the Partenopei's grasp, but they will be keen to avoid an unexpected slip-up on Sunday.

Now facing one of their favourite opponents, Napoli have lost just two of their last 28 Serie A encounters with Genoa, winning on no fewer than 18 occasions - including a 2-1 victory in Liguria in December.

Unsurprisingly, Genoa are on a 13-match winless streak on their visits to Naples, with their last away win dating back to February 2009.

Ahead of their latest attempt, the Grifone appear to be fading towards the end of the season, having initially steered clear of danger when Patrick Vieira was appointed head coach in November.

Virtually safe from relegation for several weeks now, they have little to play for beyond a possible top-half finish, with Como, Udinese and Torino their rivals.

Monday's 2-1 defeat at the hands of AC Milan promised much more, as Vieira's men led until the final 15 minutes, only for the Rossoneri to strike twice in quick succession to inflict a relatively rare home defeat on Genoa.

The Ligurian club could now suffer four consecutive top-flight defeats for the first time since December 2021, during Andriy Shevchenko's ill-fated reign.

That run was preceded by relegation to Serie B, but with the margin for error, the Rossoblu have nothing to fear in that department this term.

Recent Performance

Napoli Serie A form:WDWWWW

Genoa Serie A form:LWDLLL

Team News

Napoli are still without centre-backs Alessandro Buongiorno and Juan Jesus through injury, so Amir Rrahmani could be partnered again by Mathias Olivera, who moved inside from left-back last weekend.

With Slovakian playmaker Stanislav Lobotka struggling with an ankle problem, Billy Gilmour could be promoted to the hosts' first XI to start alongside fellow Scot Scott McTominay.

The latter was recently named Serie A's Player of the Month for April after scoring a brace in each of his last two appearances at the Stadio Maradona. He will once again be partnered by Romelu Lukaku, who scored seven times against Genoa, and last week's match-winner Giacomo Raspadori.

Meanwhile, the visitors have welcomed back Hugo Cuenca, Caleb Ekuban and Jean Onana to training, thinning out their injury list.

Long-term absentees Fabio Miretti and Ruslan Malinovskyi are joined on the treatment table by Maxwel Cornet, while midfielder Morten Thorsby is suspended.

Top scorer Andrea Pinamonti has not found the net in 10 games, the longest such drought in five years. However, he will continue to lead the Rossoblu's attack, possibly with the support of Vitinha, who scored against Milan on Monday.

Possible starting lineup

Napoli possible starting lineup:

Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Olivera, Spinazzola; Politano, Anguissa, Gilmour, McTominay; Raspadori, Lukaku

Genoa possible starting lineup:

Leali; Sabelli, De Winter, Vasquez, Martin; Frendrup, Masini; Zanoli, Messias, Vitinha; Pinamonti