Prediction: Napoli vs AS Roma

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 11/15

Bookmaker: BetUS

Claudio Ranieri returns to the Roma dugout for a third stint as he prepares to guide the Giallorossi into Sunday’s Serie A clash with Napoli.

Called out of retirement to help revive his cherished club, Ranieri now faces Antonio Conte’s table-topping side in the season’s first Derby del Sole in Naples.

Napoli

Known as the Derby of the Sun due to the Mediterranean climates of Naples and Rome, Napoli and Roma played out a thrilling 2-2 draw in their most recent meeting last April.

Roma managed just one point against Napoli last season, and the hosts are unbeaten in six Serie A encounters with the Giallorossi at Stadio Maradona, a streak dating back to 2018.

Napoli remain top of the league under Antonio Conte, though their lead was trimmed to one point before the break, with five teams tightly packed in a wide-open title race.

In their previous outing, Scott McTominay struck first against Inter Milan at San Siro, but Hakan Calhanoglu equalized and later missed a penalty that could have handed Napoli consecutive losses. This followed a rare 3-0 home defeat for Napoli to Atalanta BC, ending a run of 21 straight home wins. Conte has only suffered back-to-back home defeats in Serie A once, during his stint with Atalanta back in 2009.

With the Scudetto still within reach, Napoli will have to get down to business on Sunday evening.

Team News

Romelu Lukaku, who netted 21 goals during his loan spell at Roma last season, has contributed to four goals in five Serie A appearances against his current club. He is set to spearhead Napoli’s attack on Sunday.

Conte has a rare luxury of a fully fit squad , which could see Stanislav Lobotka replace Billy Gilmour in midfield. Meanwhile, former Roma player Leonardo Spinazzola will compete with Mathias Olivera for the starting spot at left-back.

AS Roma

Amid poor results and growing discontent, Roma’s hierarchy ended Ivan Juric’s brief tenure during the international break. The Croatian coach oversaw four defeats in his final five Serie A matches, including consecutive 3-2 losses to Hellas Verona and Bologna, prompting the club to seek a new leader.

To appease angry fans, Rome-born Claudio Ranieri agreed to step out of retirement, having bid an emotional farewell after guiding Cagliari to safety last summer. Ranieri, whose 56% win rate at Roma is surpassed only by Luciano Spalletti and Rudi Garcia, returns to a club low on confidence.

Hired as caretaker until season’s end, when he plans to take on an upstairs role, Ranieri has inherited a struggling side in 12th place in Serie A with just three league wins. Compounding their woes, Roma sit 20th in the Europa League rankings, four points away from a top-eight knockout berth, while arch-rivals Lazio lead the table.

Ahead of their trip to Campania, Roma are winless in nine consecutive away Serie A matches and have claimed fewer road points this season than all but Lecce, Venezia, and Verona.

Team News

Roma’s Paulo Dybala is likely to start on the bench this weekend, with Ranieri adopting a cautious approach with the injury-prone forward, who continues to struggle with muscular issues. Without the Argentinian, Roma’s win rate dips by 13%.

However, top scorer Artem Dovbyk is expected to start despite managing a knee problem. Alexis Saelemaekers has also returned to training after weeks out, but Dovbyk’s understudy Eldor Shomurodov and Spanish defender Mario Hermoso remain sidelined through injury.

Conclusion

With Roma in turmoil, Ranieri is likely to need time to steady the ship, while Napoli continue to operate as a well-oiled unit.

Having allowed their rivals to close the gap at the top, the Partenopei are expected to regroup and return to winning ways, securing another home victory to maintain their title charge.

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 11/15

Bookmaker: BetUS