Serie A: Ranieri’s Return

AS Roma vs Napoli

We’re back to business in Serie A this weekend and have a fascinating top of the table clash to enjoy.

Two former Chelsea managers come head to head when Serie A Roma vs Napoli at the Stadio Olimpico is the big Sunday game. Claudio Ranieri has taken up the helm at Roma, and he was the Chelsea boss at the very start of the Blues’ rise to the top of English football.

Napoli head coach Carlo Ancelotti was one of a procession of managers at Stamford Bridge over the last decade or so, leading them to a Premier League title in 2010. Both managers now have a big task in hand, back in their homeland. Napoli’s aim is to cement its second place in Serie A, and will have to wait another year to make an attack on Juventus’ grip on the Scudetto. Gli Azzurri’s hopes were all but ended when the Bianconeri executed a smash and grab in Naples in a game dominated by the hosts.

Ranieri’s task is a little more urgent. After a disappointing run of form I Giallorossi is in serious danger of missing out on a Champions League place and that would be a poor return.

opacity 0

CLICK HERE
TO SEE UPDATED ODDS

Premier League

Talking Points

Can the Tinkerman work his magic in Rome?

Shortly after being sacked by Premier League strugglers Fulham, Claudio Ranieri landed the head coach role at Roma and I Giallorossi fans will hope his tenure more closely resembles his time at Leicester City. His most famous managerial achievement was to take the Foxes, a 5000-1 shot, to the Premier league title in 2016.

But his latest stint in England was rather less spectacular. He won just three of his 17 games in charge, as the expensively assembled Cottagers plummet towards the Championship.

This is Ranieri’s second stint at the Stadio Olimpico having managed Roma between 2009 and 2011, at the same time as his opposite number was in charge at Stamford Bridge. He’s a Roma fan and was delighted to get another chance this season having replaced the departing Eusebio di Francesco. But he couldn’t get a performance out of his players two weeks ago when they lost 2-1 to SPAL. And there are rumours of infighting, with strikers Edin Dzeko and Stephan El Shaarawy reported to have come to blows in the dressing room.

That sort of drama can go one of two ways; either it illustrates the passion and hurt they feel which they can channel into a fight against opponents on the pitch. Or they can carry on sulking.

That’s Ranieri’s first problem and he’ll have to solve it this weekend without his skipper Daniele de Rossi, out injured.

Napoli’s Nearly Men

Okay, it may be a little harsh to label Carlo Ancelotti’s talented squad of players as nearly men, but the hard facts remain that they were out of the two big competitions by the beginning of March.

Napoli crashed out of the Champions League, losing to Liverpool, and they are out of the Scudetto, some 15 points behind the Old Lady.

Serie A Roma vs Napoli: Can Arkadiusz Milik score against the host? — Arkadiusz Milik celebrates after scoring a goal

But Gli Azzurri has an array of gifted front runners and Arkadiusz Milik has taken centre stage this season, top scoring with 15 goals, which make him the fifth highest scorer in Serie A. The Pole has become a better finisher under Ancelotti and a good dead ball exponent, taking on the free-kick duties. That’s quite something when he’s alongside the likes of Captain Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens who both have nine goals, matching Roma’s top scorer El Shaarawy

Mertens and Insigne have made eight and six assists respectively and that’s all good news for Milik and Ancelotti.

All eyes will be on Rome on Sunday, and we’ll be right there with Roma vs Napoli highlights hot off the press.

History

In the 39 game played since 1993, Roma has won virtually half with 19 victories to Napoli’s ten, and there have been ten draws.

Over the last five games the teams have been well matched, with two victories each followed by a draw in Naples back in October.

Roma has been strong at home, winning eight, drawing four and losing just once, but while Gli Azzurri has won only one in four on the road, they have conceded just two goals in five away games and only 12 all season.

Betting Tip

	AS Roma vs Napoli	Under 2.50 goals @ 2.13
	March 31, 22:00 (GMT+8)

The Roma vs Napoli betting odds give us a good flavour of the balance in this game where all three results are very possible. Napoli is a marginal favourite at SBOBET odds of 2.33, with Roma at 3.00 and the draw at 3.25.

I think this will be a tight game. Napoli rarely conceded away from home and Ranieri will have already tightened up Roma’s rearguard.

I can see a one goal win, probably for Napoli, but don’t expect a goal rush.