Stadio Diego Maradona forms the backdrop for the latest edition of the famous Derby del Sole between Napoli and Roma. A place in the top four is on the line, with only three points separating the teams ahead of kickoff.
Napoli overturned an early deficit to beat bottom-half Genoa last weekend, as Rasmus Hojlund’s 95th-minute penalty inspired them to a last-gasp 3-2 victory at Stadio Luigi Ferraris. Fresh off winning back-to-back league games for the first time in 2026, Antonio Conte’s men will seek a statement win to strengthen their position in the standings.
Sitting third, Napoli are already out of the Scudetto race, with runaway leaders Inter now 12 points clear following a 3-2 home win over Juventus last night. Therefore, the Partenopei cannot afford a slip-up here if they’re to maintain their faint hopes of defending their title alive, although the task ahead is nothing short of arduous.
Trailing their upcoming rivals by three points, Roma bounced back from consecutive Serie A matches without a win (D1, L1) with a 2-0 home victory over Cagliari last time out. And with Juventus dropping points yesterday, Gian Piero Gasperini’s charges could put daylight between them and the record-time Italian champions with a rare derby triumph.
Indeed, Roma have only won one of their last 12 meetings with Napoli (D4, L7), slipping to a frustrating 1-0 defeat in November’s reverse fixture at the Stadio Olimpico. Keen to avoid another disappointing result, the Giallorossi will be desperate to address their travel sickness, having failed to win their last two competitive outings on the road (D1, L1).
Napoli
In addition to their dominant recent record in this matchup, Napoli have gone unbeaten in their last seven home clashes against Roma (W4, D3), including a narrow 1-0 victory in the corresponding fixture in the 2024/25 season. The Maradona Stadium has been a fortress this term, with the reigning holders still one of only two sides yet to lose a home Serie A game (W8, D3).
Furthermore, Napoli have not lost any of their last 22 home league outings (W16, D6), so it’s impossible to put it past them to claim bragging rights today. However, two defeats from their last three home matches across all competitions (W1) have cast doubt on the Maradona Stadium’s once-impregnable stronghold status.
That said, Napoli are boasting the longest unbeaten home streak in the top flight since 1988. With that in mind, Conte should feel confident about extending his formidable run against Roma that has seen him avoid defeat in his last nine clashes against the club from the capital in Serie A (W5, D4).
Roma
Seeking their first top-four finish since the 2017/18 season, Roma cannot settle for anything less than a win here if they’re to bolster their Champions League claim. Interestingly, that campaign eight years ago was the last time they bettered their current 46-point haul after 24 games, testifying to Gasperini’s impressive work at the Olimpico.
A rare downside of Gasperini’s early regime is Roma’s notorious inability to perform in high-stakes fixtures. Indeed, they are still waiting for their first league triumph against fellow top-five rivals this season (D1, L4). For context, no other Serie A side has fared worse in these high-profile encounters.
While many had expected Roma to play attractive football under Gasperini, especially after his remarkable stint at Atalanta, that has not been the case. Roma’s league matches this term have averaged the division-low of 1.79 goals per game, highlighting the potential for a low-scoring affair.
Napoli will be without long-term absentees Kevin De Bruyne, Frank Anguissa and Billy Gilmour, alongside captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo. Furthermore, veteran center-back Juan Jesus must serve a one-game ban for the red card he picked up against Genoa. On the bright side, star midfielder Scott McTominay should be at Conte’s disposal, along with Romelu Lukaku and Leonardo Spinazzola.
On the other hand, Roma boss Gasperini cannot call upon several first-team stars, including starting center-forward Artem Dovbyk and midfield cornerstone Manu Kone. Experienced defender Mario Hermoso is also out with a hip injury. The same applies to Stephan El Shaarawy and Evan Ferguson, though Paulo Dybala has reportedly overcome a minor fitness issue.
Napoli (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Rrahmani, Buongiorno; Politano, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Vergara, Elmas; Hojlund.
Roma (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Ghilardi; Celik, Cristante, Pisilli, Wesley; Soule, Dybala; Malen.
Given the high-stakes nature of this contest, it’s hard to expect either side to take unnecessary risks, which could pave the way for a tense and cagey affair at the Maradona Stadium. With so much on the line in the top-four race, we anticipate the spoils to be shared in a hard-fought draw.
Prediction: Draw
