Napoli vs Juventus: Big clash at the Maradona

All eyes turn to the Maradona for the matchday’s headline fixture. Napoli and Juventus are currently separated by five points, but both have very real hopes of finishing the season at the top. Antonio Conte – a major figure in Juventus’ history both as captain and coach – has led Napoli to back-to-back wins over Atalanta and Roma, and now chases a third straight victory over the Bianconeri. On the opposite bench sits Luciano Spalletti, who led Napoli to the Scudetto three years ago, and is returning to Fuorigrotta for the first time as an opponent. A win would tighten the gap and inject new momentum into Juve’s season.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The official previous encounters between the two teams in Naples are 88 with a record of 34 Napoli victories (the last one 2-1 in Serie A 2024/25), 30 draws (the last one 1-1 in Serie A 2016/17), and 24 Juventus victories (the last one 2-1 in Serie A 2018/19). In the last 6 Serie A matches in Naples, the azzurri always victorious; Juventus, on the other hand, achieved their last positive result winning 2-1 in Serie A on 3 March 2019: goals from Pjanic and Emre Can, with Callejon reducing the gap, and finally a penalty missed by Insigne 6 minutes from the end.

DID YOU KNOW?

Napoli are the team that have had the most penalties against them, 4, in Serie A 2025/26, equal to Milan, Udinese, and Fiorentina. Napoli unbeaten at home for a year: last defeat 8 December 2024, Napoli-Lazio 0-1 in Serie A. Since then 15 victories and 5 draws in 20 matches played at the Maradona.

COACHES and PLAYERS

Between Antonio Conte and Luciano Spalletti, first official encounter as coaches. Antonio Conte is the ex-player of the day, who was a bianconero player from 1991 to 2004, 295 appearances and 29 goals in Serie A, in his honors list 5 championships, 1 Coppa Italia, 4 Supercoppe, 1 Champions League, 1 UEFA Cup, 1 UEFA Super Cup, 1 Intercontinental Cup. Conte also then coached Juventus, from 2011/12 to 2013/14: 102 wins, 34 draws, and 15 defeats in 151 official matches on the bench, winning 3 scudetti in a row and also 2 Supercoppe. Luciano Spalletti is the ex-coach of the day. Coach of the azzurri in 2022/23 and 2023/24, he won in the second year the third scudetto in the history of the Neapolitan club. In total, for him, 96 official matches on the bench with a record of 62 victories, 17 draws, and 17 defeats. Spalletti still unbeaten at the helm of Juventus: 7 official matches so far with a record of 4 victories and 3 draws. Third goal in Serie A 2025/26 for David Neres at the thirteenth matchday, last year he closed his first Italian season with only 2 goals. The Brazilian player has already scored 2 goals against Juventus: in the Champions League 2018/19, when he played with Ajax in the Amsterdam match that ended 1-1 and in the Champions 2022/23, Juventus-Benfica 1-2.

DISCIPLINE

Suspended: none Cautioned: Koopmeiners (Juventus)

REFEREE

LA PENNA (PERETTI – COLAROSSI) IV: CREZZINI, VAR: ABISSO, AVAR: AURELIANO

UPCOMING MATCHES IN SERIE A

Udinese-Napoli (Sunday, December 14, 15.00 CET) Bologna-Juventus (Sunday, December 14, 20.45 CET) (Photo Getty Images)