Brescia Vs Napoli
Friday 21st February 2020 – 19:45 Kick-Off
Italian Serie A
Pick: Napoli & Under 3.5 Goals
Odds: 6/4
Bookmaker: Betway
(All betting odds displayed were correct at time of writing: 18th February 2020 at 15:20)
Preview: Another round of Serie A action and it begins at the Stadio Mario Rigamonti, where a Brescia team badly struggling for form host a resurgent Napoli on Friday.
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Table of Contents
Brescia Preview – Swift return to Serie B beckons?
The situation in Brescia (19th – W4 D4 L16) is becoming increasingly precarious. Le Rondinelle have won four games in Serie A throughout 2019-20, and none whatsoever in 2020, with their most recent victory in the competition dating back to the middle of December when somehow managing to double their tally with back-to-back successes over SPAL and Lecce. It therefore comes as little surprise seeing them stationed in the relegation zone.
Seven points that stand between the club and Serie A safety, who are now second from bottom in 19th. This after last week’s rather routine and entirely unsurprising loss in Turin to Juventus, losing 2-0 to the reigning champions. It was another extremely poor attacking performance in particular, generating a measly 0.22xG – a third consecutive league game in which chances with a combined xG of less than 1 were created.
Since their last win they have taken three out of a possible 27 points (D3 L6). Disastrous form. Just seven goals were netted across this run, despite recruiting the volatile services of striker Mario Balotelli in the summer. The sulky Italian has found the net five times since joining, more than any other team-mate, but last scored in a 2-1 defeat to Lazio on 5 January. With fellow forward Florian Aye suspended, there is now an even greater onus on the former Man City man.
Napoli Preview – Gattuso revival in full flow?
I was at the head of the line of those sceptical about the appointment of Gennaro Gattuso in Naples. His relatively short managerial career has been more miss than hit, while his pragmatic approach never really seemed a natural fit at a club renowned for playing an attractive brand of football for much of the past decade. It may have taken a little time for his ideas to come to fruition but there can be no doubt results for Napoli (9th – W9 D6 L9) are vastly improved of late.
When including their progress made in the Coppa Italia, it is now six wins in eight games. Four of those were achieved whilst keeping clean sheets. One in particular stands out: a 1-0 win at Inter Milan in the first-leg of the cup. If they are capable of delivering an accomplished performance away to a team near the very top of the Serie A standings, then repeating the trick on the road against a side in terrible form at the opposite end of the table should be reasonably straightforward.
Football is rarely so simplistic, though. Yet the transformation remains undisputable. In the league the Partenopei are three wins from the last four, beating Juventus (2-1), Sampdoria (2-4) and Cagliari (0-1) with the only aberration that shock 3-2 loss at home to Lecce. The fact it was a shock shows the progress made recently, because for a long time such results were a regular occurrence. Gattuso has ensured that is no longer the case.
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Betting Summary
It wasn’t mentioned above, and it might be a factor, but Napoli are in Champions League action in midweek when they take on Barcelona in Italy. However, them playing on Friday gives them ample recovery time, meaning it shouldn’t impact too greatly on Gattuso’s team selection. A full-strength Napoli, or something close, should be accounting for a Brescia outfit in freefall that has gone its past nine Serie A games without winning, losing six.
Brescia Vs Napoli – Key Facts
- A 2-0 loss away to Juventus last time out made it nine Serie A matches without winning for Brescia (D3 L6).
- It is now three wins in four league games for Napoli, this after winning only one of their prior twelve matches in Serie A.
- Napoli have won four of the last five head-to-head encounters (W4 D1), which includes a 2-1 scoreline in Naples earlier in the season.
What was already highlighted is Gattuso’s pragmatic nature, which has surely contributed to some improved defensive showings lately. Four of their last six victories in league and cup were without conceding – though last week’s to nil victory in Cagliari was a first win to nil in Serie A since October. Brescia have only managed seven goals in their last nine league matches though. Napoli To Nil is available at 2/1 (BetVictor).
Best Betting Odds for Brescia Vs Napoli
Brescia – 21/4 BetVictor
Draw – 10/3 Betfair
Napoli – 11/20 Unibet
