Napoli Vs Atalanta
Napoli Vs Atalanta Saturday 17th October 2020 – 14:00 kick-off
Italian Serie A
Pick: Both Teams to Score & Over 2.5 Goals
Odds: 8/13
Bookmaker: Bet365
(All betting odds displayed were correct at time of writing: 14th October 2020)
Preview: A mouthwatering contest in prospect at Stadio San Paolo sees Napoli host Atalanta, with both sides determined to build on their perfect starts in Serie A. Something will have to give, though, in a fixture which produced a 2-2 draw here last term.
Italy Serie A Betting at Bet365
Table of Contents
Napoli Preview – Naples fortress could prove decisive?
Last season, Napoli flattered to deceive as their anticipated title push in Serie A quickly seen them fall into mid-table obscurity, before mounting a late rally under a change of manager to finish in seventh. That same manager is still at the helm and it is fair to say Gennaro Gattuso has been getting a tune out of this group. To such an extent there are some who believe this side are capable of competing for top spot once more.
Two wins from two whilst scoring eight in the process, achieved without conceding themselves, is certainly a promising start to the new season. What made those wins, over Parma (0-2) and Genoa (6-0), impressive was how miserly the defensive process was, limiting the two sides to 0.25 and 0.78 xGA respectively. Impressive in the sense that it clearly didn’t impact on their ability to freely create and, subsequently, score.
That same level of defensive resolve is really going to be needed, and tested, here against this free-scoring, rampaging Atalanta outfit which is averaging more than four goals a game this term. Napoli, though, have started well themselves and can take a lot of confidence from an eight-game unbeaten home run (W7 D1) in Serie A. Moreover, three of their last four such wins were to nil.
Atalanta Preview – Le Dea cannot be tamed?
The league’s most prolific club in each of the past two seasons has wasted no time staking a claim for that same honour in 2020-21, racking up 13 goals in the process of accumulating nine points from their first three games. Atalanta are the first team in Serie A history to score four or more in their first three fixtures, while it was the first time the club had ever won all three opening games of a top-flight campaign.
Maintaining such high standards will be incredibly challenging, though, now that their schedule begins to stiffen up considerably. On Wednesday, for example, Gian Piero Gasperini sends his team to Denmark to take on national champions Midtyjlland keen to lay down an early marker of intent in Group D of the Champions League. Even more so because their next opponent in the league has begun brightly themselves.
Yet it is Le Dea, who sit top of Serie A ahead of AC Milan on goal difference, who have enjoyed the recent meetings between these sides, going unbeaten across the previous three (W2 D1). In league and cup meanwhile, Atalanta have lost just one of the past five head-to-heads in Naples, winning three (they scored exactly two goals in four of those contests, while the last time they failed to score at San Paolo was 2013).
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Napoli Vs Atalanta Betting Advice
Although Atalanta’s explosive performances early on has caught the attention of many, it is Napoli who have looked the more assured of the two. Neither has dropped a point thus far. However, while Atalanta look as menacing as ever going forward, they do allow chances at the other end with Cagliari (2), Lazio (1) and Torino (2) combining for five goals. Napoli, meanwhile, have been exceptional at both ends of the pitch.
Napoli Vs Atalanta – Key Facts
- 9th February 2020 was the last time Napoli suffered a home defeat in Serie A, winning seven of eight subsequent matches at the San Paolo since losing 3-2 to Lecce.
- The middle of December, 2019, was the last occasion Atalanta were beaten on their travels in Serie A, going the last 12 such matches without incurring a loss (W8 D4).
- Both Teams to Score & Over 2.5 Goals has delivered in four of the past six Serie A head-to-heads, including the last three staged in Naples (2-2 here last term).
Napoli are yet to concede this season, a record which will come under intense scrutiny this weekend by the league’s top scorers. The hosts haven’t lost a fixture on their own patch since early February, winning seven of eight since with only AC Milan in that sequence netting more than once. The best teams do tend to score here, though: all of last season’s top-six obliged in contests which would feature at least three goals.
Best Match Odds – Napoli Vs Atalanta
Napoli – 6/4 (Bet365)
Draw – 3/1 (Betway)
Atalanta – 13/8 (BetFred)
