After a few missteps in recent weeks, or missteps..., full tilt rather. I followed my own advice and took a few days off to reboot. So, here we go again, untroubled by my recent form, I am back just in time for the grand finale of the Serie A season. And what a climax it has every chance to be. Napoli stands on the brink of clinching their fourth Scudetto, all they need is a victory against Cagliari to seal the deal, regardless of Inter Milan's result against Como. And, history speaks to their favour, Cagliari hasn’t managed to score a win against Napoli since 2009. But, since then, there have been quite a few draws. A result that potentially could ruin Napoli’s dreams of raising the trophy.
Under Antonio Conte's guidance, Napoli has transformed into a formidable force. Despite recent draws against Genoa and Parma, they still maintain a slender one-point lead over Inter Milan. Which can prove to be enough providing that Inter Milan loses against Como, which on the other hand is quite unlikely. So going for gold, means going for three points tonight. On the other hand, Cagliari, having secured their Serie A status, enter this match with less at stake but plenty of pride. A nice place to be in for the underdog, nothing to lose, all to win.
So, the table is set for Napoli, playing at home with one final task, to secure a win against a team with nothing to play for but pride. However, Napoli face this decisive match without some of their key players. Defenders Buongiorno and Jesus, along with midfielder Lobotka, are sidelined due to injuries. Setbacks of course, but I still think they should cope with the squad they have ready for action. Cagliari on their end have confirmed that Caprile, Gaetano, Luvumbo and Pavoletti will miss the game due to injuries. Despite these absences, Cagliari still has the capabilities to field a competitive lineup, aiming to disrupt Napoli's title aspirations.
So, what can we expect then? Historically, Napoli has had the upper hand in this fixture, remaining unbeaten in their last eight encounters against Cagliari. Tonight, history plays less of a role though, the game is worth so much to Napoli that history remains just history. My prediction is that we will see a Napoli opening the game ferociously, trying to lock the win as soon as they can. Going into the half-time break with two goals or more up would mean that in the second half, the team would be carried a long way by their fans just counting down for the Scudetto to come back to Naples.
Conclusion: Napoli definitely has the capabilities to defeat Cagliari and they also have the courage to go into the game with full attacking force, not worrying too much about the opponent’s counter-attacking skills. Locking the win early is most likely a key priority to keep nerves from getting a chance to influence the outcome. I predict that Napoli will score at least twice before the halftime whistle.
