Napoli return to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Wednesday night with momentum firmly on their side, hosting a Hellas Verona team heading in the opposite direction. For the reigning champions, this fixture represents a chance to maintain pressure at the top of Serie A; for the visitors, it is another test in an increasingly grim survival battle.
Antonio Conte’s side have responded emphatically to a brief wobble earlier in the winter. After consecutive defeats in Serie A and the UEFA Champions League threatened to derail their campaign, Napoli have reeled off four straight victories, each secured by an identical 2=0 scoreline. That run has been built on control and defensive authority, with the Partenopei rediscovering the balance that underpinned last season’s title triumph.
Fresh from lifting the Supercoppa Italiana, Napoli closed out 2025 with a comfortable win over Cremonese, powered by a brace from Rasmus Hojlund. They then began the new year with a combustible encounter against Lazio at the Olimpico. Despite seeing Pasquale Mazzocchi dismissed in a match that eventually descended into chaos, Napoli had already done the damage.
Goals from Amir Rrahmani and Leonardo Spinazzola established command before Lazio were reduced to nine men, allowing the Partenopei to manage the contest and collect another crucial three points. That victory kept Napoli within touching distance of the summit and extended a remarkable home sequence.
Conte’s side remain unbeaten at the Maradona, stretching that run to 22 matches, and they were the only team across Europe’s top five leagues to avoid defeat on home soil throughout the previous calendar year. With both Milan clubs setting the pace in the title race, Napoli know there is little margin for error.
Hellas Verona, meanwhile, arrive in Campania under mounting pressure. Paolo Zanetti’s side sit bottom of the table after a damaging sequence of results, having suffered back-to-back 3-0 defeats before opening 2026 with a limp home loss to Torino. A heavy defeat at San Siro against AC Milan only deepened the sense that the team was struggling to cope at this level.
Verona’s away form offers little encouragement. They have managed just one win from nine league trips this season, and that solitary success came against a Fiorentina side that has since climbed clear of trouble. Historically, Naples has been an unforgiving destination for the Gialloblu.
Verona have lost 15 of their last 20 visits in Serie A, with their most recent top-flight victory here dating back more than four decades, to January 1983. Goals remain the away side’s biggest concern. Of the teams competing in Serie A both last season and this one, none accumulated fewer points across the 2025 calendar year, and their attacking output has been alarmingly limited.
Only six different players have found the net for them this season, a reflection of a side short on creativity and confidence in the final third. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how the clubs could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Napoli continue to navigate a congested treatment room as Antonio Conte prepares for Wednesday’s home fixture. Pasquale Mazzocchi is suspended after his red card in Rome, while David Neres has joined the injury list with an ankle sprain, depriving Napoli of a key one vs one threat on the flank.
The absences extend further: Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, and Billy Gilmour remain unavailable, limiting options across attack and midfield. In defence, Sam Beukema is a major doubt and will be assessed close to kick-off.
There is at least some encouragement between the posts. Alex Meret has resumed training and is fit for selection, but Vanja Milinkovic-Savic is expected to retain his place after recording four consecutive clean sheets, a run that has underpinned Napoli’s recent momentum and defensive confidence.
From a tactical standpoint, Conte is likely to persist with his trusted 3-4-2-1 formation, which has delivered control and balance during Napoli’s winning streak. Milinkovic-Savic should start in goal, shielded by a back three of Giovanni Di Lorenzo on the right, Amir Rrahmani centrally, and Alessandro Buongiorno on the left, combining leadership with aerial strength.
The wing-back roles are set to be filled by Matteo Politano on the right and Miguel Gutierrez on the left, providing width and progression from deep. In central midfield, Stanislav Lobotka will anchor play, supported by Scott McTominay, whose physicality and late runs add a different dimension in the absence of Anguissa.
Ahead of them, Eljif Elmas and Noa Lang are expected to operate between the lines, tasked with creativity and ball-carrying into the final third. Leading the line, Rasmus Hojlund should continue as the focal point for Napoli, offering movement, pressing intensity, and clinical finishing against Hellas Verona.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno; Politano, Lobotka, McTominay, Gutierrez; Elmas, Lang; Hojlund
Hellas Verona continue to juggle availability issues as they prepare for a daunting trip to Naples, though there could be changes in attack. Gift Orban, the club’s leading scorer with four goals this season, was surprisingly left out at the weekend but is pushing to return to the starting XI. If restored, he is likely to replace Daniel Mosquera and partner Giovane up front.
Despite modest goal returns, Giovane has drawn praise since arriving in Serie A last summer, playing an active role in Verona’s attacking play with 62 goal attempts overall, including 24 chances created and 38 shots. In midfield and defence, Verona remain stretched.
Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro is still sidelined through injury, while Tomas Suslov continues his long-term recovery and is not expected back soon. The visitors are also without one of their most influential players, Rafik Belghali, who is away representing Algeria at the Africa Cup of Nations, reducing creativity and ball progression from wide areas.
Tactically, Paolo Zanetti is expected to maintain a 3-5-2 formation, with the Hellas Verona boss prioritising defensive compactness and numerical security in midfield against Napoli’s control-heavy approach. Lorenzo Montipo should start in goal, protected by a back three comprising Unai Nunez, Victor Nelsson, and Armel Bella-Kotchap, a unit tasked with absorbing pressure and defending the box.
The wing-back roles are likely to be filled by Daniel Oyegoke on the right and Martin Frese on the left, both expected to track Napoli’s wide threats while offering limited forward support. In central midfield, Cheikh Niasse is set to anchor the side, with captain Suat Serdar providing experience and ball progression alongside Antoine Bernede, who offers energy and link-up play.
Ahead of them, Giovane is expected to operate as a mobile forward, with Gift Orban potentially returning to add a more direct goal threat. Verona’s approach is likely to focus on resilience, set pieces, and isolated counter-attacks rather than sustained possession.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Montipo; Nunez, Nelsson, Bella-Kotchap; Oyegoke, Niasse, Serdar, Bernede, Frese; Giovane, Orban
With Napoli missing several midfield regulars, Scott McTominay has taken on increased responsibility, and this fixture suits his strengths perfectly. Operating in a more advanced midfield role under Antonio Conte, McTominay offers a blend of physicality, timing, and goal threat that can overwhelm opponents battling deep in their own half.
Against a Verona side expected to sit compact and defend numbers in the box, McTominay’s late runs from midfield could be decisive. He excels at attacking second balls, arriving unmarked when defensive focus is drawn elsewhere, and his aerial ability adds another dimension to Napoli’s attacking play, particularly from set pieces.
Beyond his box presence, McTominay’s work rate off the ball is vital. His pressing helps Napoli sustain pressure high up the pitch, preventing Verona from settling into counter-attacking rhythms.
In a game likely to be played largely in the visitors’ half, his ability to dominate duels and keep Napoli on the front foot could quietly dictate the outcome. If the hosts are to turn control into a comfortable victory, McTominay’s influence in midfield may prove just as important as the work of the forwards.
Napoli enter this fixture with form, confidence, and a formidable home record firmly in their favour. Their defensive structure has tightened considerably, and the current run of clean sheets reflects a side in complete control of games rather than one relying on moments. Against a Verona team struggling for goals and confidence, the gap in momentum is clear.
Hellas Verona are likely to defend deep and attempt to frustrate, but sustained pressure from Napoli, especially through midfield runners and wide rotations, should eventually break them down. With Napoli’s intensity unlikely to drop at the Maradona, this looks like another controlled evening for the champions.
