Meeting with his former manager at Chelsea, Cesc Fabregas will be pumped to get one over Napoli boss Antonio Conte, which would aid Como’s push for a Champions League place. The younger manager has a favourable record against his experienced counterpart in recent games, but the latter will be eager to get an all-important win on Saturday that would blow apart Como’s Champions League push.
Como have had a few stumbles along the way after their brief foray into the top four, as they have since lost to Inter Milan, drawn with Udinese and lost out to Sassuolo. While they have managed to cover up well, with a win over Genoa that also ended their three-game winless run, they are three points behind fourth-placed Juventus.
Currently, the hosts are three points behind Juventus and six behind Napoli, and they could reduce the gap with the latter to three with a win at home against Conte’s side. However, a loss here would make their push for a top-four place rather challenging, which would shatter their dreams to an extent.
Meanwhile, Napoli also responded in style following their loss to Lazio, which also snapped their long unbeaten run in the league. Conte’s side triumphed over Cremonese with a 4-0 scoreline, and while this result was enough to postpone Inter Milan’s crowning, the concession of the Serie A title is edging closer.
Inter Milan are currently ten points ahead of the Partenopei, with a loss against Como set to all but end their tame defence of the title. Conte will likely focus on the task at hand, as their place in the top four is still under some level of jeopardy.
Losing to Como will open up the top-four race, bringing their hosts three points closer. However, a win over Como will all but cement Napoli’s place in those coveted Champions League positions.
Cesc Fabregas has to make do without Jayden Addai and Sergi Roberto for this clash with Napoli, with the latter resuming training of late alongside fellow teammate Mergim Vojvoda. Fabregas has his ideas very clear in his mind, which could see him line up in his usual 4-2-3-1 shape.
Diego Carlos and Marc-Oliver Kempf will lead the defensive setup, with Ivan Smolcic and Alex Valle in the full-back roles. Nico Paz will continue in his attacking midfield role, with Assane Diao and Martin Baturina in the wide roles.
Maximo Perrone will start in the Como midfield alongside regular partner Lucas da Cunha, while Tasos Douvikas will lead the line for Fabregas’s side against Napoli this weekend.
Probable lineup (4-2-3-1): Butez; Smolcic, Carlos, Kempf, Valle; Perrone, Da Cunha; Diao, Paz, Baturina; Douvikas
Antonio Conte’s injury issues were given a positive boost as the team now expects skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo to make an appearance against Como. The right-back has been missing since January, which has been a blow for the team, as he could be in contention for a start, although Conte might lean towards caution.
There are chances that Conte might stick with a lineup similar to the one that defeated Cremonese, meaning Matteo Politano and Miguel Gutierrez will start, alongside Kevin De Bruyne and Alisson near the attacking third.
Alternatively, Conte could try to bring Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa into his midfield alongside Stanislav Lobotka, with Scott McTominay alongside Kevin De Bruyne in the attacking third. A back three will be in play, and the chances of Giovanni Di Lorenzo starting on the bench are high given their recent result.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Olivera; Politano, Anguissa, Lobotka, Gutierrez; De Bruyne, McTominay; Hojlund
McTominay is set for another productive end to a season, with the player now eager to reach double figures in the league; he is one strike away. With three goals in his last six games, the Scotsman is one of the in-form attackers in this Napoli side.
He will be key to Conte’s side in achieving a top-four place, as his presence against Como will be crucial. This game screams for a big-moment player, and McTominay fits that bill perfectly.
Games between the two managers of late have brought about considerable intensity, which might set the theme for Saturday. Como are in a much more pressured situation, given they need to catch up to Juventus in the top four race, which could work in Napoli’s favour.
Napoli will want to cement their place in the UEFA Champions League positions, and they need not necessarily win this one to stay relevant in that regard. Yet, they may find some gaps in the Como defence, and coupled with the attacking intensity from the hosts, this game has the hallmarks of an entertaining draw.
