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The first Serie A game to be played at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona takes place on Sunday, as Napoli host Sampdoria in a round 11 clash.
Napoli are third in the table behind AC Milan and Inter, with 20 points from 10 games. Sampdoria's 11 points are enough for 12th place.
Having hammered Crotone 4-0 over the weekend, Napoli took their bow in the newly-christened Stadio Diego Maradona against Real Sociedad in the UEFA Europa League.
Piotr Zielinski's 35th-minute goal looked all set to make it a winning start, only for Willian Jose to spoil things with an equalizer at the very death to make it 1-1. Napoli did go through as Group F winners, however, so there was something to cheer for Gennaro Gattuso's men.
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A 2-2 draw away to Torino meant that Sampdoria went the entirety of November without a win.
Their poor form continued, as a 2-1 defeat to leaders AC Milan at home came next. Albin Ekdal reduced the deficit for the hosts in the 82nd minute, but went from hero to zero in the final minutes, spurning a glorious chance to equalize.
Napoli vs Sampdoria Head-to-Head
The Partenopei have won eight of their last 10 games against Sampdoria, with the Genoans only managing one win - a 3-0 win at home in the 2018-19 season. The last time Sampdoria avoided a loss in Naples was in 2015, a 2-2 draw.
Napoli did the double over Sampdoria last season, winning 2-0 at home before a 4-2 win in Genoa in February of this year.
Napoli form guide: W-W-D-W-D
Sampdoria form guide: L-L-L-D-L
Napoli vs Sampdoria Team News
Napoli
Gennaro Gattuso received some welcome news with defenders Amir Rrahmani and Elseid Hysaj now eligible to play, having recovered from the coronavirus. Kevin Malcuit and Victor Osimhen are both missing through injury, with the rest of the squad fit to play.
Gattuso is expected to make changes to the lineup that started against Real Sociedad, with Lorenzo Insigne likely to be rested, having played the full 90.
Injured: Kevin Malcuit, Victor Osimhen
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Sampdoria
Claudio Ranieri welcomed Keita Balde back to training, although the forward is some way away from match-fitness. Manolo Gabbiadini, Nik Prelec and Lorenzo Tonelli trained away from the group but should be fit come matchday.
Bartosz Berezynski's injury should mean that Omar Colley is drafted into the defence.
Injured: Bartosz Bereszynski
Doubtful: Keita Balde
Suspended: None
Napoli vs Sampdoria Predicted XI
Napoli Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): David Ospina (GK); Faouzi Ghoulam, Kalidou Koulibaly, Konstantinos Manolas, Giovanni Di Lorenzo; Diego Demme, Tiemoue Bakayoko; Hirving Lozano, Dries Mertens, Matteo Politano; Andrea Petagna
Sampdoria Predicted XI (4-4-2): Emil Audero (GK); Lorenzo Tonelli, Maya Yoshida, Omar Colley, Tommaso Augello; Antonio Candreva, Albin Ekdal, Morten Thorsby, Jakub Jankto; Manolo Gabbiadini, Fabio Quagliarella
Napoli vs Sampdoria Prediction
Napoli haven't lost to Sampdoria at home in ages, and given the visitors' abject form of late, there's only one result to be expected. Even if Gennaro Gattuso rests a few of his stars, Andrea Petagna and Hirving Lozano should have enough to trouble the seventh-worst defence in the league.
Expect a comfortable win for Napoli at home, with Sampdoria unlikely to score on the day.
Prediction: Napoli 3-0 Sampdoria.
