Serie A - Fiorentina VS Napoli Prediction

Serie A - Fiorentina VS Napoli
Match Time: 18-05-2024 03:00 Saturday (GMT+8)
Football Livescore | Match Prediction & Tips
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Team Analysis
The curtain rises on the 37th matchday in Serie A with Fiorentina coming head-to-head with Napoli at Stadio Artemio Franchi on Friday evening. This clash, regarded as a proper six-pointer, is set against the backdrop of a close fight for the final European spot from Serie A, given the slender two-point gap separating the teams.

Coming off a commendable 2-1 triumph over Monza, Fiorentina is poised for this faceoff in high spirits. Nico Gonzalez and Arthur Melo led the scoring for the Viola team, which generated several high-profile chances. Currently, Vincenzo Italiano’s squad, also with a game advantage, stands two points ahead of Napoli in the struggle for the 8th position.

Conversely, the mood in Napoli’s camp is likely to be somber. The team's shocking 0-2 loss at home to Bologna marked their fifth consecutive league game without a victory. Francesco Calzona and his squad have their work cut out for them, particularly in augmenting their final third efficiency.

Head-to-Head
This match presents the third head-to-head face-off this season between Fiorentina and Napoli. In the reverse league game in Naples, Fiorentina emerged victorious with a clear 3-1 margin.
However, Napoli redeemed their honor with a commanding 3-0 thrashing of the Viola squad in the Italian Super Cup semi-final. Additionally, five of the past seven encounters between the two aces have yielded three goals or more.

Odds Analysis
The scales are tilted in favor of Fiorentina, who enter the match in high spirits. They bagged victory in three of their last four league matches. Besides, the Viola squad secured their berth in the UEFA Conference League final, marking the second time in a row. Their 3-2 win over Club Brugge over both legs of the semi-final tie facilitated this feat.

Moreover, Vincenzo Italiano’s troops boast of an impressive home record this season, with 10 victories, four draws, and four losses in their 18 home league matches. In contrast, Napoli's performance pales with a single victory from their last ten matches across all competitions. They managed a solitary goal over their last two league matches against Udinese and Bologna. Therefore, betting on a home win shows great potential value at odds of 2.55.

Fiorentina’s dynamic offensive strategy is especially evident on their home turf, the Stadio Artemio Franchi, with both teams scoring in each of the last seven league games here. Despite Napoli's failure to score last weekend against Bologna, the squad did create scoring opportunities. Furthermore, both teams managed to score in six of Napoli’s last seven trips away from home across all competitions. Looking at past performances, both teams scored in five of the previous seven clashes between Fiorentina and Napoli, adding value at odds of 1.61 to the propensity for both sides scoring.

Pick: Fiorentina to win