It is only a matter of time before Napoli surrender their Serie A crown to champions-elect Inter Milan, and a draw or loss against Cremonese will do the honours. With five games remaining, the race for the top four is as entertaining as ever, with Antonio Conte in a position of power, but they must ensure victories in all of those remaining fixtures.
Having won five games on the bounce, Conte’s men created a chance for themselves to get back into the title race. The run also included a victory over AC Milan, which took Napoli second in the standings. However, back-to-back games where they dropped points have killed all hopes, including their 2-0 home loss to Lazio last weekend.
With only three points separating the Partenopei from a resurgent Juventus side sitting in fourth, there is currently no evident danger for either team to lose their Champions League spot. But with Como and AS Roma lurking behind, both Napoli and Juventus are probably thinking of entering must-win territory from here on until the end of the season.
Meanwhile, Marco Giampaolo’s side are sitting right on the danger line with 28 points, level with 18th-placed Lecce, as their fate is still hanging in the balance. Dropped points anywhere, and a small sense of resurgence from Lecce could prove damaging for Cremonese in this relegation battle.
They are also ahead of their rivals by a three-goal difference in the standings, and the fact that they have not beaten Napoli in Serie A in 32 years makes for a compelling mission ahead of their visit to the Stadio Maradona.
For once, Antonio Conte’s side came out unscathed following their loss to Lazio; however, the manager still has plenty of key absentees in his squad. Romelu Lukaku, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, David Neres, and Antonio Vergara are all out for the Cremonese clash.
There were some scares in the Lazio loss, as key midfielders Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Kevin De Bruyne had to come off at half-time, but the pair are expected to start against Cremonese on Friday night. The other two stars who are guaranteed a start are Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund, with 18 goals between the former Manchester United duo.
Conte will once again go along with a back three of Sam Beukema, Alessandro Buongiorno and Mathias Olivera; Matteo Politano and Leonardo Spinazzola will feature as wing-backs, with Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Stanislav Lobotka managing the midfield setup. De Bruyne and McTominay will play behind striker Rasmus Hojlund.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Buongiorno, Olivera; Politano, Anguissa, Lobotka, Spinazzola; De Bruyne, McTominay; Højlund
Cremonese will be without at least four of their first-team stars, including veteran Jamie Vardy, Morten Thorsby, Faris Moumbagna, and Michele Collocolo. Even without the quartet, Marco Giampaolo still has a strong enough squad to select from.
Giampaolo might make his selections without Youssef Maleh, who scored in one of their recent away wins over Parma, although another goalscorer from that very game, Jari Vandeputte, could have a place in the starting lineup for Cremonese. Similarly, striker Federico Bonazzoli, who has the most goals for the team this season, will lead the line alongside Antonio Sanabria.
The Cremonese boss could persist with a back four for this clash, while Warren Bondo and Alberto Grassi will provide the tools in central midfield, with Romano Floriani Mussolini and Vandeputte providing the width in what could resemble Giampaolo’s iteration of the 4-4-2.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Luperto, Pezzella; Mussolini, Bondo, Grassi, Vandeputte; Bonazzoli, Sanabria
The Belgian playmaker has had an injury-disrupted season following his move to Napoli, but he has made a successful comeback from his hamstring problem of late. De Bruyne has featured in all of Napoli’s last six games, but he has yet to influence proceedings with a goal contribution of any sort.
There are two clear objectives for the Belgian ahead of the final few games of the campaign: helping Napoli finish inside the top four, and getting back to his best form to feature for Belgium at the World Cup. Games like these against Cremonese will be key for De Bruyne to rediscover top form ahead of the tournament.
Cremonese are under severe pressure compared to most teams, as they must protect the slender advantage that has kept them out of the relegation zone only on goal difference. The fact that they have been unable to beat Napoli in 32 years paints a grim picture for them ahead of this trip to Naples.
Napoli will want to finish in the top four, and currently, they are in a good position to do that. More than pressure, Conte will want to see a performance from his team to get the job done on Friday night, one that could see the reigning champions put on a show and add to Cremonese’s misery.
