Scudetto race: Napoli to host Genoa
A 20:45 CEST kick-off awaits at the Maradona, where Napoli are set to face Genoa on matchday 36 in Serie A Enilive. With nine points left to play for, the Azzurri are aiming for their fifth consecutive win to maintain their lead at the top of the table. Patrick Vieira’s Genoa, who are already safe from relegation, are aiming for a big result as they look to finish their season in positive fashion.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
After five consecutive defeats between 2007 and 2009, Napoli have lost only two of their last 28 matches against Genoa in Serie A, winning 18 and drawing eight. Across this period (from 2010 onwards), only against Sampdoria have the Neapolitans recorded more victories (21). Genoa are winless in their last 13 away games against Napoli in Serie A (D5 L9) – the Ligurians' last away success against the Azzurri was in February 2009 (1-0, goal by Bosko Jankovic) - only against four teams have the Rossoblu a longer ongoing run of consecutive away matches without a victory in the competition: Inter (18), Juventus (21), Roma (22) and Fiorentina (26).
DID YOU KNOW?
Genoa have not won against the side starting the day in first place of Serie A since March 2019: 2-0 at the Ferraris, against Juventus, with goals from Stefano Sturaro and Goran Pandev (under Cesare Prandelli); since then, two draws and six defeats, including the last such game against Inter in March 2024 (1-2). Napoli have won their last four league games without conceding a goal and they could record five consecutive wins without conceding for the first time in their history in Serie A (also 4 in 2023, 1990 and 1934). Genoa have lost their last three league games and could suffer four consecutive defeats in Serie A for the first time since December 2021, under Andriy Shevchenko. Napoli have conceded the fewest goals (25) and recorded the most clean sheets (17) in the big five European Leagues this season; only twice have the Neapolitans kept more clean sheets in Serie A at the end of a 20-team competition: in 2022-23 (18) and in 2017-18 (19). Despite scoring the fourth-most goals in Serie A this term (55, level with Milan), Napoli have the fewest players with at least one shot on target attempted in this competition: just 17, six fewer than Genoa who are fourth in this ranking with 23 (alongside Venezia).
PLAYERS
All five of Aarón MartÃn's assists in Serie A this term have come via a cross; the Spaniard could become the first Genoa defender to provide more than five assists in a single Serie A season since the Rossoblu returned to the top-flight (2007-08): Paolo Ghiglione, Luca Antonelli, EdenÃlson and Fabiano also recorded five. Genoa are the team that Romelu Lukaku has scored the most goals against in Serie A – seven – and the only team currently in the competition against which the Belgian has scored more than one brace: two, both with Inter, in December 2019 and July 2020 respectively. Scott McTominay has scored a brace in each of his last two home league games (v Empoli and Torino); in the three points for a win era (since 1994-95), only one Napoli player has scored more than one goal in three consecutive home games in Serie A: Gonzalo HiguaÃn, in both 2015 and 2016.
DISCIPLINE
Suspended: Thorsby (Genoa) Cautioned: Olivera (Napoli); Pinamonti (Genoa)
REFEREE
PICCININI (PERROTTI – MOKHTAR) IV: FELICIANI, VAR: AURELIANO, AVAR: GARIGLIO
UPCOMING MATCHES IN SERIE A
Parma-Napoli Genoa-Atalanta (Photo Getty Images)