Teams in southern Italy don’t traditionally have success in Serie A. The league has been dominated by the more prosperous north since the league’s inception, with southern Italy’s lone source of pride typically being Napoli. Napoli has won two Serie A titles in their history, and they are looking to win a third this season. Juventus may be the heavy favorites, but Napoli finished in second place last season and were just four points behind them at the end of the year.
Napoli finished the year 14 points ahead of third-place Roma and 19 points ahead of Inter Milan and Lazio, so it’s clear they have the best chance to knock off Juventus this season. They are off to a good start this year, and Napoli will look to keep it going when they travel north to face Sampdoria.
Don't miss the Italian Serie A action from Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris in Genoa, Italy at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 2, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on ESPN News.
Italian Serie A Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Napoli -188
Sampdoria +505
Draw +335
Over/Under 2.5 and 3
Odds Analysis
Sampdoria are looking for their first points of this campaign after dropping their season opener to Udinese by a score of 1-0. In that match, Sampdoria had two-thirds of the possession, but they were unable to find a goal. They did not create any good chances for themselves in the first half, yet their play in the second half gives them reason to be optimistic heading into this one.
Gregoire Defrel looked pretty solid in his debut for Sampdoria. Defrel came over on a loan from AS Roma, and he created the best chances for his new club in the opener. It may take some time for Sampdoria to come together though, the club brought in a lot of pieces during the offseason and it will take time to gel.
Napoli are off to a great start this season. The schedule makers did the club no favors with back-to-back games against Lazio and AC Milan to start the year, but Napoli grabbed all six points available. In their opener at Lazio, Arkadiusz Milik canceled out Ciro Immobile’s beautiful strike just before half to get Napoli level at 1-1 heading into the break. Lorenzo Insigne put Napoli ahead for good in the 59th minute on their way to a 2-1 win.
Last week, Napoli notched an incredible comeback in their home opener against AC Milan. Napoli fell behind 2-0 early in the second half, but they roared back in the second half to earn a 3-2 win. Piotr Zielinski tallied in the 53rd and 67th minutes to get things square once more, and then Dries Mertens scored the eventual game winner in the 80th minute to send the home crowd into jubilation.
Injury Report
There are three-long term injuries of note for Napoli entering this match. Alex Meret is still recovering from a broken arm and will be out until late September, while Faouzi Ghoulam is dealing with a knee issue and will be sidelined until roughly the same time. Amin Younes will take longer to recover after rupturing his Achilles tendon, and the hope is he’ll be back in action in February.
As for Sampdoria, they will be without the services of Vasco Regini and Dennis Praet. Emiliano Viviano is listed as questionable with a knee issue, while Junior Tavares is probable after a shoulder knock.
Player to Watch
Central midfielder Fabian Ruiz has yet to make his debut with the club. Ruiz was acquired from Real Betis for the price of 30 million Euros this offseason, and he was expected to be a central piece of Carlo Ancelotti’s plans. However, he has been limited due to a muscle strain. There’s a chance he features here though.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
This is going to be a bit of a letdown situation for Napoli. After two thrilling wins and with an upcoming match against Fiorentina, they will take their foot off the pedal a bit, and Sampdoria will be able to grab a draw.
Italian Serie A Odds: Napoli 1, Sampdoria 1
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