Italian Heavyweights Meet In Mouth-Watering Saturday Night Clash

One of the biggest fixtures in the Serie A calendar takes place in only the second game of the season, as champions Juventus host Napoli on Saturday night.

For the last two seasons Napoli have been Juve’s closest and perhaps only challengers, finishing second behind Massimiliano Allegri’s side in successive seasons.

Whether that will be the case this season remains to be seen but Carlo Ancelotti’s team are second favourites again at 5.50* but both sides will have to keep a watchful eye on Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan who now boast Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez in their ranks.

Juventus are flat out favourites to win Serie A again at 1.44* and judging by their transfer business this summer, it’s not hard to see why.

Astute free transfers for midfielders Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal) and Adrien Rabiot (PSG) were backed up by an outlay of over £100 million for the likes of Luca Pellegrini from Roma and the big deal for one of the hottest prospects in Europe, Matthijs de Ligt from Ajax.

It’s a new era at the Allianz Stadium though following Allegri’s departure and it is infact an ex-Napoli manager who has stepped in, with Maurizio Sarri joining in the summer following his year spell in charge at Chelsea.

This adds an extra flavour to what is always a fixture with a hotbed atmosphere and played with an incredible atmosphere.

Last season saw Juventus win both fixtures on their way to winning the title on 90 points, 21 points ahead of Saturday’s opponents.

A 3-1 win at the Allianz Stadium in September 2018 was followed by a 2-1 victory in the reversal at Sao Paolo.

And you can bank on their being an array of goals again this time round, the both teams to score markets are certainly appealing and if you are to bet on the same outcome as last season again you can get 4.05* for that on site.

JUVENTUS TO WIN AND BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE – 4.05*

Cristiano Ronaldo is always your safe bet when it comes to the goalscorer markets and with 28 goals in all competitions last season, his first since his move from Real Madrid, it’s not hard to see why.

However, it could be one of Napoli’s new boys who may be worth casting an eye on for Saturday’s huge fixture.

Hirving Lozano made a sterling impression when he turned out for Mexico at the World Cup in Russia in 2018 and the scramble for his signature amongst Europe’s top clubs was won by Napoli last week.

His £42 million move from PSV comes off the back of a pulsating campaign in 2018/19 for the 24-year-old.

Lozano managed a goal every 145 minutes on average in the Eredivisie, a tally of 17 goals in 30 appearances and his vision and ability to beat a man will make him a lethal weapon on the counter attack, should he start on Saturday.

You can get on Lozano to score first at 8.00* and to score anytime at 3.50*.

HIRVING LOZANO TO SCORE FIRST – 8.00*

It wouldn’t be ground-breaking to anticipate this being a close game between two teams of a similar ability with an abundance of quality on either side.

Throw into the mix the fact it is only the second game of the Serie A calendar and neither side knowing what each other will really be bringing to the table yet.

But the safe money could well be on the one goal margin with six of the last eight meetings between the two teams being separated by the solitary goal.

Juventus to win by one goal is currently 3.40* while Napoli to win by the same margin is 5.60*.