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Sunday\u2019s Serie A program ends at Stadio Diego Maradona as title-bidding Napoli take on bottom-half Genoa in a must-win fixture. Driving toward the finish line, Antonio Conte\u2019s charges boast a three-point lead over reigning champions and fiercest competitors Inter Milan pre-round.<\/strong><\/p>\n Inter could put the pressure back on Napoli as they meet Torino on home soil<\/strong> a few hours earlier. Only three points separate the teams before Sunday\u2019s kickoffs, and with three games left, it\u2019s needless to say any slip-up could backfire on Antonio Conte<\/strong> or his former associates.<\/p>\n Serie A\u2019s decision to re-establish the title playoffs fuels the excitement ahead of one of the most dramatic season finales in recent memory. However, Napoli look well-positioned to beat Inter to the punch as they\u2019ve hit a purple patch at the perfect time.<\/p>\n Giacomo Raspadori<\/strong> slotted home a sublime free-kick to inspire a narrow 1-0 win at Lecce<\/strong> last weekend, extending Napoli\u2019s winning streak to four matches. Unlike their upcoming rivals, Genoa slumped in the previous round as they squandered a second-half advantage in a 2-1 home defeat to AC Milan.<\/p>\n Three consecutive league defeats have dashed the Griffins\u2019 hopes of securing a first top-half finish in Serie A since 2014\/15. With nothing but pride left to play for, there\u2019s a mismatch in motivation, which doesn\u2019t mean Napoli can afford to take Patrick Vieira\u2019s underperforming side lightly.<\/p>\n Napoli<\/strong><\/p>\n What started as a distant dream is becoming a reality for Napoli. Conte\u2019s men are masters of their destiny and would have no one but themselves to blame if they failed to hoist a second Scudetto in three years. Defensive solidity has been the cornerstone of Conte\u2019s remarkable success in Naples, with Napoli boasting the division\u2019s best record of only 25 goals conceded.<\/p>\n Furthermore, they have won their last four league outings without a reply and could make it five such triumphs in a row for the first time in club history. An incredible 17 clean sheets this season gives Napoli another reason for enthusiasm, as does a favorable-looking schedule in the run-in.<\/p>\n The Partenopei will face three bottom-half teams down the final stretch, starting with a home meeting with Genoa. Napoli have been dominant in such match-ups this season, winning 14 out of 17 matches against sides from the lower reaches (D2, L1). Moreover, 11 came without conceding, highlighting their brilliant form against lower-ranked opposition.<\/p>\n Genoa<\/strong><\/p>\n Napoli\u2019s formidable record against \u2018lesser\u2019 teams paints a bleak picture for the traveling squad, whose record against Serie A\u2019s heavy hitters is anything but enviable. The abovementioned defeat to Milan marked Genoa\u2019s 17th consecutive winless encounter against teams starting this round in the upper half of the table (D5, L12).<\/p>\n However, recent clashes in Naples give Genoa hope that they can throw a dent in Napoli\u2019s title ambitions. Despite not winning on this ground since 2009, they have eked out three draws across their last five league visits (L2), including a 1-1 stalemate in this corresponding fixture in 2023\/24.<\/p>\n Against this backdrop, Genoa have yet to win a road game in 2025 (D4, L5), most recently slipping to a 1-0 loss at Como. A lack of firepower has seen Vieira\u2019s misfiring frontline draw a blank on their last three Serie A travels (D1, L2), casting further doubt on their hopes of upsetting the apple cart here.<\/p>\n Mathias Olivera could partner with Amir Rrahmani at the heart of Napoli\u2019s defense as Alessandro Buongiorno and Juan Jesus remain on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Billy Gilmour could slot back into the starting eleven due to Stanislav Lobotka\u2019s minor ankle discomfort.<\/p>\n On the other hand, injury-hit Genoa will be without long-term absentees Fabio Miretti\u00a0and\u00a0Ruslan Malinovskyi. The same goes for Maxwel Cornet, who\u2019s still on the treatment table. Vieira cannot count on Morten Thorsby, who has accumulated yellow cards.<\/p>\n Napoli (4-4-2):<\/strong> Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Olivera, Spinazzola; Politano, Anguissa, Gilmour, McTominay; Raspadori, Lukaku.<\/p>\n Genoa (4-2-3-1):<\/strong> Leali; Sabelli, De Winter, Vasquez, Martin; Frendrup, Masini; Norton-Cuffy, Messias, Vitinha; Pinamonti.<\/p>\n History beckons for Napoli, and it\u2019s almost impossible to bet against Conte\u2019s team. Genoa gave Milan a run for their money on Monday and might do the same here. However, the Partenopei should put another three points on the board.<\/p>\nMatch Preview<\/h2>\n
Team News<\/h2>\n
Napoli vs Genoa Potential Starting Line-ups<\/h2>\n
Napoli vs Genoa Prediction<\/h2>\n