The Serie A title race heats up as defending champions Napoli welcome a revitalized Juventus to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday, December 7, 2025. Kick-off is set for 19:45 GMT (14:45 ET), and this fixture promises tactical intrigue, personal rivalries, and high stakes. With Napoli joint-top and Juventus pushing for European spots, a win could shift the momentum in the 2025-26 campaign. In this comprehensive Napoli vs Juventus match preview, we’ll break down form, potential lineups, and expert score predictions.
Current Form: Napoli’s Fortress vs Juventus’ Revival
Napoli enter the fray in scintillating shape, sitting joint-top of the Serie A table with 28 points from 13 games (9 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses). Antonio Conte’s side has been a scoring machine, netting 20 goals while conceding just 10, showcasing a blend of attacking flair and defensive solidity. Their recent 1-0 away win at Roma—thanks to David Neres’ strike—extended an unbeaten run across competitions to nine games (six wins, three draws). Midweek, they edged Cagliari 9-8 on penalties in the Coppa Italia after a 1-1 draw, highlighting resilience despite injuries.
At home, Napoli are untouchable: unbeaten in Serie A at the Maradona for a full calendar year (15 wins, 5 draws), they haven’t lost there since December 2024. This streak includes six straight home wins over Juventus, scoring 14 goals in those encounters. Conte, who won three straight Scudetti with Juve from 2012-14, will relish facing his former club, but absences like Alex Meret (foot), Romelu Lukaku (thigh), Kevin De Bruyne (thigh), and Stanislav Lobotka (injury) test his squad depth.
Juventusunder new boss Luciano Spalletti, have steadied after a rocky start that cost Igor Tudor his job. Seventh with 23 points (6 wins, 5 draws, 2 losses), they’ve kept three straight clean sheets and remain unbeaten in seven games across all competitions (4 wins, 3 draws). A 2-0 Coppa Italia win over Udinese midweek followed a 2-1 league victory at Cagliari, with Kenan Yildiz emerging as their talisman (4 goals, 3 assists). However, away form is patchy: just 8 points from 6 road games (2 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses), and they’ve failed to score in two of their last five Serie A away outings.
Spalletti, who delivered Napoli’s 2023 Scudetto, faces his old side for the first time since leaving. But injuries plague Turin: Dusan Vlahovic (muscle), Gleison Bremer (knee), Federico Gatti (surgery), Arkadiusz Milik (calf), Daniele Rugani (calf), and Carlo Pinsoglio (calf) are out, thinning an already stretched defense.
Potential Lineups: Injuries Shape Tactical Battles
Both sides favor a 3-4-2-1, setting up a midfield scrap between Scott McTominay (Napoli) and Manuel Locatelli/Khephren Thuram (Juventus). Napoli’s wing-backs (Di Lorenzo, Olivera) will push forward, while Juventus relies on Yildiz’s creativity.
Napoli Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Vanja Milinković (GK) – Sam Beukema, Amir Rrahmani, Alessandro Buongdiorno – Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Elif Elmas, Scott McTominay, Mathías Olivera – David Neres, Noa Lang – Rasmus Højlud
Juventus Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Michele Digorio (GK)
Score Predictions: Napoli to Edge a Tight Affair
Experts lean toward a Napoli win, given their home record and Juventus’ absences. BTTS (both teams to score) has landed in 67% of Napoli’s home games and half of Juventus’ aways, but under 2.5 goals is a strong play (hits in 69% of Juve’s matches).
Our Prediction: Napoli 2-1 Juventus. The hosts break through via set-pieces or Neres’ invention, with Yildiz nabbing a consolation.
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