Playing football on Boxing Day has been a tradition in England since the 19th century. Since this year, it’s become a thing in Italy as well. This Wednesday, we’ll see the 18th round of Serie A and one of the most exciting duels of the day is the clash played at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milano. Of course, the match in question is Inter vs Napoli and if you’re looking for match prediction and betting tips for this game, you’re at the right place!
Inter
Inter are currently at the 3rd place, with 8 points fewer than their next opponent, Napoli. They won’t be able to catch up with them this year, but at the same time, they can’t drop much lower than this. In fact, in the worst-case scenario, they could finish the year at the 4th spot.
But, all this doesn’t mean they have the right to be overly cheerful during the holidays. Two weeks ago, they played 1:1 with PSV at home, which cost them a place in the Champions League knockouts. A few days before that match, they lost a Serie A game to Juventus, which could later prove crucial for Juve’s success this season.
And finally, Inter failed to beat Chievo last Saturday, the team that’s at the very bottom of Serie A table. Saying that they’re having a crisis at the moment would not be an overstatement. There’s something wrong in this team and many Inter fans think it’s their manager, Luciano Spalletti.
Many believe that his football philosophy is outdated and that a team like Inter needs to focus on attacking, not defending. And the evidence they bring is that Inter had only 3 shots on Chievo goal in that game.
Of course, the manager is not the only one to blame; players deserve their share of scrutiny as well. And there’s one guy who’s been particularly annoying Inter fans lately. I’m talking about Radja Nainggolan. Known for being a bit of a playboy, the midfielder has been in the center of a gambling scandal, but even worse for Nerazzurri, he’s been missing his training sessions. All of that made the club decide to suspend him and he’s probably going to miss the Napoli duel because of that.
Napoli
The situation in Napoli has been almost totally opposite to what’s going on in Inter. This team has been playing very well lately, winning 4 Serie A games in a row. They did fail to get to the knockouts of the Champions League, but that was expected, considering that they were in the Group of Death with PSG and Liverpool (and Red Star).
Another thing completely opposite to the situation in Inter is that Napoli players adore their coach. Many believe that Carlo Ancelotti has been key to their success this season. They’re currently at the 2nd spot and are going to stay there at least till January, no matter what.
Don Carlo, the man who still takes showers together with Napoli players in order to strengthen the players-manager bond, is responsible for the good atmosphere in the squad. But, being able to motivate the players is not the only thing he’s good at. He also knows how to get them ready for big games. This season in Serie A, Napoli beat teams like Lazio, Milan, Sampdoria, Fiorentina, as well as play draw with AS Roma. They did lose to Juventus, but every team apart from Genoa did the same this season.
Team News
Inter absentees:
- Miranda (injury)
- Radja Nainggolan (club suspension)
Napoli absentees:
- Vlad Chiriches (injury)
Possible Lineups
Inter
Handanovic – Skriniar, de Vrij, Vrsaljko, Asamoah – Brozovic, Borja Valero, Mario – Politano, Perisic, Icardi
Napoli
Ospina – Albiol, Koulibaly, Hysaj, Rui – Allan, Hamsik, Ruiz – Callejon, Insigne, Mertens
Inter vs Napoli Prediction
Inter are in a bit of a crisis; Napoli are enjoying their good form. Therefore, I think the away team will win this. And even if they fail to win it, I doubt they’re gonna go back home without any points.
Inter vs Napoli Betting Tips
- Double Chance X2 @1.51 (1XBet)