Sampdoria vs Napoli 04/02/20

4 February 2020

Napoli will be looking to build on a 2-1 home win over Juventus when they lock horns with Sampdoria at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in the final fixture of the Serie A (SA) Matchday 22.

The hosts are going through a rough time, having won only one of their past five SA outings (D2, L2). Curiously, while both of their draws in that period came via the same goalless scoreline, two of three results (win/loss) have yielded the identical 5-1 score. Far more comfortable on home turf, Claudio Ranieri’s men have registered 65% of their total league points at this venue, avoiding defeat in both of their previous SA games held here (W1, D1). However, ‘Il Doria’ will be desperate to increase their attacking output, considering they’ve so far netted an average of just one goal per SA home fixture. That’s mainly because of a lack of first-half goals. Indeed, only four of their 11 SA home goals arrived before halftime (36%).

Meanwhile, the visitors have won just once in their last seven SA road trips (D4, L2), scoring under 1.5 goals on six of those occasions. Even though five matches during that seven-game sequence witnessed both teams score, only two have featured over 2.5 goals. But, the Partenopei could improve their dismal away form here, given that they’ve picked up three victories in their previous four top-flight trips to Sampdoria (L1), netting two goals or more in each of those successes. Yet, not exactly the fastest starters when away from home, Gennaro Gattuso’s men have shipped the opening goal (if any) in six of ten league road trips, with eight of their total 15 away goals conceded coming in the first half.